


House Trained

by JaqRabbit



Series: Paranormal One Piece [1]
Category: One Piece
Genre: Alternate Universe - Werewolf, Awkward Sexual Situations, F/M, Humor, Lemon, Romance, Sexual Situations, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-05
Updated: 2018-02-21
Packaged: 2018-05-11 23:12:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 30
Words: 106,561
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5645311
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JaqRabbit/pseuds/JaqRabbit
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Your plan had been to adopt a dog.  A companion who would be there for you to come home to from a hard day at work or long day at school.</p><p>You hadn't realized how twisted fate would be when it forced you to adopt a man instead.</p><p>(Werewolf!Zoro x Reader)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

“Death row?” You frowned.

The male nodded sadly, “Yes. We try to help as many animals as we can here but sometimes a few fall through the cracks. This one more so considering his temperament.”

You looked at the very large dog in the cage stall and studied him, his fur was matted and dirty and you were sure you smelled him long before you found him when looking around. The poor thing had a long scar over it’s left eye that only boost the intimidation factor.

Honestly, he wasn’t much in the handsome range either.

“He was very hard to catch. Some people thought he was a wolf when they called us; Shaun had to use two darts to take him down.”

“He is very big,” You breathed in awe, “Do you think he may have some wolf in him…?”

The animal worker sighed and crossed his arms, “Maybe. There’s no sure way to tell with animals sometimes. He certainly acts a bit like one, we’ve been throwing him meat over the fence because we’re afraid he’ll attack.”

He sighed again and scratched the back of his head. “Look, lady. There are plenty of other dogs here that deserve a good home. I know it’s a sad situation about this one, but there’s nothing we can do about it and I rather not get my hopes up. I don’t wanna say you can’t handle him…”

You shifted on your feet, staring at the dog who seemed to be glaring intently at the two of you the whole time, not making a single sound.

“He’s not even technically up for adoption; I would love to save him, really. But I don’t think-“

“I can take him.” You said quickly, looking into the worker’s eyes to prove you wouldn’t back down. “ **How much?** ”

The man, Kyle on his name-tag, blinked in shock. “I..R-Really?!”

He loved animals, he loved his job and he loved saving them. He just didn’t think someone as small as you could handle such a massive creature. “I-I mean…No, I can’t. He’s not up for adoption.”

You crossed your arms and scowled, putting on your ‘Don’t tell me how to live my life’ look. “How much?”

Kyle shifted, feeling like this little woman was going to deck him if he didn’t do it her way and muttered, “You weren’t supposed to even come back here…”

But he ended up leading you back to the office to sign a few forms and even got a coloring page of a paw for them to hang up on the front door for visitors. You colored it as you liked while they finished filing the paperwork, though you couldn’t think for the life of you what name to write on the paper for your new pet.

_‘I’ll just have to figure out his name once we get home.’_

“Just sign here and here and he’s yours.” Kyle smiled, he was happy about the adoption, he just wondered if he made the right choice letting you have him. He even had to fudge some paperwork to make it seem like they had put the dog down so management wouldn’t ask any questions.

Once everything was signed and done, you bought some of the toys and accessories they had on display in the little office area. Balls, doggy bowl, leashes, collar. You were going to get more once you had the chance to hit up PetSmart, but this was okay for now.

“Here, we’ll throw this in too. No charge,” Kyle grinned, placing a huge dog food bag on the desk. “We’ll get this to your car then go collect your new roommate.”

~

 _'This guy had an impressive set of canines',_ You thought worriedly as Kyle tried to get the leash on his neck.

The animal continued to growl and snarl, though a bit shakily the closer Kyle got to him.

“He’s still a little drugged up, but don’t worry; I’m sure-“ The worker let out a high pitched yelp when he was snapped at, almost losing a hand when he got it close to his face.

Kyle knew this was a bad idea - there was no way this lady could handle this beast!

You frowned and snatched the collar and leash from the male and walked closer to your pet, hands on your hips as you wagged a finger at him. “No. No biting.”

The dog growled, ready to snap again, but this time at you.

“No.” You said sternly, but very slowly held out your hand for him to sniff. You weren’t snapped at, but you definitely held your breath as he took a tentative whiff.

He didn’t bite, but he did growl softly as you gently placed the leash and collar on him. Smiling in victory, you started to walk with the dog, only to be jerked back as he plopped on the floor and yawned widely.

“Ah, wait a minute!!”

Kyle laughed, the animal going from intimidating to uninterested in a heartbeat was quite a sight.

“He…I just need him to trust me is all!” You huffed, refusing to give up. You gave him a gentle tug. “C’mon, boy! C’mon!”

The animal sneezed in response and closed his eyes. He was being difficult.

You frowned, “Look. If you stay here you’ll be put down. Don’t you realize you’re on death row? This is a mutual benefit here.”

Kyle watched in amusement as you talked to the dog and briefly wondered if he’d understand a word you were spewing.

Crouching down, you placed a gentle hand on his head and cooed, “C’mon big guy. Come home with me. I promise to take good care of you.”

It was a few moments before he opened his one good eye and huffed, looking annoyed more then anything as he got up. He looked like he was going to trust you for now, so you were damn well going to be sure he was treated well and would love his new home.

Standing back up, you grinned and started to walk forward, cheering silently when he walked in step with you; Kyle even clapped his hands in amusement (he was glad the dog was listening to someone at least).

“Let’s get home and clean you up and get some food-“ You almost fell over when the dog suddenly turned to go down another hallway instead of out the front doors where you had been heading. “Not that way!!”


	2. Chapter 2

“Welcome home, big guy!”  You beamed, unlocking the door and gesturing inside the tiny apartment.  
  
It was the only thing you could afford in the city at the moment, having only enough money to live in the cheapest, most basic place you could get your hands on.  Right now you were so busy working on your History degree that you couldn't even afford a decent paying job.    
  
The faucet in the tiny kitchen dripped, the carpet was worn, the walls were thin, the bathroom only big enough to fit a midget in at a time, and the bedroom that had no room for anything but the bed.  
  
It was home.  
  
You noticed your roommate look around the place with what looked like pity, this made you a bit defensive.  “You’re lucky I found you before I asked where the cats were.”    
  
In all honesty, you had been going there to adopt a cat.  They were small, took care of themselves, and deemed one worthy of affection when need be.  No walks, no constant attention, and no need to have a yard.  
  
Oh jeez.  You forgot about the yard situation.  It’s kind of hard to have one when one lived on the third floor.  
  
“I’ll think of something….”  You mused aloud while walking forward before any insects decided to move in as well.  The dog didn’t seem to care though, he just plopped down right in the middle of the doorway and yawned, looking as excited as a man going shoe shopping with his girlfriend.  
  
You tugged slightly at his leash.  “C-C’mon now!  Inside!!”  
  
His only response was a huff as he laid his large head on his paws and closed his eyes.  
  
You tugged harder.  “Inside!!”  
  
Time for a different approach. This time you went behind the large mutt and started to push on his butt.  This turned out to be a horrible idea considering you were now face down on the ground when the dog finally did move into the apartment.  He didn’t even turn back to look at you as he made his way to the old sofa and climbed on, creaking dangerously under his bulk.  
  
“Jerk,” you scowled as you got up and closed the door, brushing a hand over your sore chin..  “You’re lucky my job doesn’t require me to be this pretty all the time.  A bruise on this piece of art would be a devastating blow to the community!”  
  
He did that squeak yawn all dogs did and laid his head on his paw.  
  
~  
  
He hadn’t done much since coming home.  Just laid on the couch and occasionally open his good eye to watch you walk back and forth.  You had gathered the supplies you needed to prepare his bath while also mentally thinking of names.  
  
Of course, it was mostly a list of famous names from the past.  You weren’t a history buff for nothing.  
  
“You’re very stoic.  Maybe someone who has presence?  There are plenty of military types in history who are like that.”  
  
At this point you were talking to yourself, but you didn’t mind considering he at least seemed to be listening.  
  
“Alexander the Great, he kind of went out early.  Napolean, not really all that short - but you’re still probably bigger then he was.  Constantine…I don’t think you’re a religious type.”  
  
You started counting your fingers as the bathtub filled with water and you sat on the edge.  You could see the sofa from where you were and the dog who was watching you with a tired gaze.  
  
“You don’t look much like a Winston.  Geronimo might work, it’d be fun to call for you.”  You grinned, “If I include fictional leaders, Arthur…Though, he was a bit of a dork.  Maybe I should look at samurai, they always have neat names.  Musashi, Oda Nobunaga, Hanzo.”  
  
The dog moved from the couch and made his way into the bathroom, placing his chin on the side of the tub and sniffing at the water and the soaps you poured in it.  Taking this chance, you quickly closed the door with your foot before he could think twice about escaping.  “Got ya, you slug."  
  
He turned to the door, despite not having a way out.  You swiftly wrapped your arms around his middle and lifted.  
  
“Up!”  You grinned as most of your strength was used to get the dog to stand on his hind legs.  You both waddled to the tub and looking like penguins as you went; but you were just happy he didn’t seem to be fighting this too much.  
  
Which was good because he stank.  
  
After a good wrestle, you managed to get the animal into the tub and quickly started to clean him; making sure to massage his head and back to show you were just helping him and not doing this as some kind of torture.  
  
“That’s it.  It’s not so bad, right?”  You grinned at the annoyed looking animal and scrubbed at his fur before draining the dirty liquid then spraying him with clean water. Once that was done you dried him off with a towel and grinned even wider at how fluffy his fur had become.    
  
“You’re starting to look good now!”  He seemed to scowl, as if you had been insulting him all this time.  “You’re very soft.  Very bushy.”  
  
Stopping suddenly, you blinked and stared at the dog.  “Bushido~.  You’re just a bushy samurai!”  
  
The look he gave you screamed ‘You shall suffer a thousand deaths’.  
  
"It's settled!  My cute Bushido will be the talk of the complex~"  You snickered.  It wasn't a bad name, if you do say so yourself.  You let Bushido move away as you opened the door, watching him walk out of the bathroom and shake his fur.  Odd, he had an odd green tint to his dark fur.  Was that normal?  You heard of red and even blue tinted black hair, but green?  Must be a strange dog breed thing.    
  
You grinned as he made his way back to the couch, obviously wanting to nap again.  "Oh Bushido~!"  
  
He looked back at you with mild curiosity before he noticed the object in your hand.  Bushido suddenly looked ready to bolt when he noticed the red collar.  You took a step forward and waved it happily.  
  
"Red will be a great color-!!"  He quickly skittered out of the living room and down the little hall, but you were already following the large dog with stubborn intent.  "Get back here you slug!!"


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prologue is basically done :B 
> 
> Fun shall begin.
> 
> Also, if you want to read what's already written so far, just go to http://jaq-rabbit.deviantart.com/

This was beyond humiliating.  
  


He'd spent most his life on his own.  Surviving, hunting, killing even.  His kind had it hard in their world; technology ready to out all of them at any moment.  They had to be clever and strong or die.  They had come so far and survived so long, a proud and noble race that could be merciless and destroy at the drop of a hat.  
  


But now…now he was going for ‘walkies’.  
  


‘Bushido’ looked back at the human female who was muttering to herself with a stupid grin on her face.  
  


“Why yes, he’s mine.  Isn’t he handsome?”  You cooed, talking to no one in particular. You looked to the left as if someone had asked you a question, “Yes.  He’s quite big, but very sweet~.”  
  


Clearly, this woman was an idiot.  
  


He huffed and glared at anything that came into view as you both trotted through the park, his damn red collar feeling like a weight on his neck.  It had taken a good while of wrestling before you had finally managed to slip the damned thing on his neck and another good hour to get him to come near you after the struggle.  He glared and growled every time you had come within ten feet of him, but after you fed him an apology meal (cooked beef - since he refused to eat the dog food after hours of it being out), everything had calmed down.  
  
The wolf might have forgiven you if you hadn't did a slight of hand and hooked him up to a leash and dragged him outside the next day to the sketchy-ass park a block away.  Seriously, he could probably spot a drug deal or two near the park's fountain if he watched long enough.  
  


“His name is Bushido and he’s made of pure love.”  You squealed softly, determined to practice your pet owner conversations you were sure to have.  
  


“Excuse me miss, do you know what time-“  
  


“Isn't my dog the best looking guy around?"  You beamed, interrupting the poor stranger.  
  
"I, uh, well.  Sure?  But what-"  
  
You puffed up proudly, stars practically twinkling in your eyes as you spoke.  You may have only had Bushido for one day so far, but you had grown pretty attached.  "He's smart, fluffy, and can totally beat up your dog-"  
  
The man quickly walked away, eyeing you warily as he continued on his path to find a person who didn't ramble about their pets.  
  


Frowning, you placed a hand over your moth and closed your eyes dramatically, “No one understands us, Bushido.”  
  


_‘I don’t understand you.’_ The mutt scowled.  
  
'Bushido' had come to realize what kind of person you were in just a few short hours of being in your care.  You were loud, rash, stubborn, and a complete moron.  If he could talk right now, he would tell you all those things to your face without flinching.  He didn't care, he was just so angry for getting into this predicament.  
  
Bad enough he had ended up in this city in the first place (he hated all the tall buildings and constant construction), but to get caught by animal control was just the cherry on top of a pile of shit.  Now he had to figure out a way to ditch this stupid woman and find his way back to the mountains where he liked to wander.  
  
It would be easy to leave.  He could simply creep out when you went to bed that night and let you deal with whatever mess he left behind.  He would have felt guilty about doing such a thing, but at that moment you were suddenly hugging and petting and cooing over him like some lovesick idiot and all thoughts of guilt vanished.  
  
~  
  
You frowned and pushed the bowl of dog food closer to Bushido, getting a bit more worried.  "C'mon, big guy.  You gotta eat.  I can't keep feeding you scraps of my food."  
  
He merely huffed and looked away from the dog bowl.  
  
"Don't be like that.  Look, it has all the nutrients and taste every dog loves!"  At least, that's what the back of the bag says.  You sighed when he simply got up and left the kitchen.  Running fingers through your hair you stood and scowled.  This will become a problem if he didn't eat something - the last thing you wanted was for him to starve.  
  
Maybe you could slip some human food on top of his meal every now and then until he finally just at the dog food itself?  That may work...  
  
Ugh, you were a total amateur at this.  Who in their right mind thought it would be a good idea for you to own a dog anyways!?  
  
Letting out a frustrated groan, you rubbed your eyes tiredly and looked at the clock.  It was getting pretty late and you had classes and work tomorrow.  It was going to be the first day you would leave Bushido on his own and you hoped he'd be fine while you were gone.  
  
Everything _**will**_ be fine...maybe you could call on your neighbor to use the spare key you gave them to let him out every few hours for a bathroom break.  Yeah, that would be good.  The retired man would like the company anyways since he didn't seem to have any family you knew of.  Hey, you trusted him enough to give him a spare key, you could trust him with your dog.  
  
You walked out of the kitchen and past the couch where the dog spent most his time on and started your nightly routine.  Shower, brushing teeth, etc., then headed onto bed (calling out a good night to your pet who continued to ignore you).  
  
You'll definitely have the food thing solved tomorrow - he couldn't ignore his bowl forever.  
  
~~  
  
Oh god.  Oh god.  
  
You were sure you had locked the door.  You were **positive** you had closed it too!  
  
So why did your neighbor call you to tell you that it was open and your dog was missing?!  He had gone over there while you were at school to do what you asked and had found the front entrance wide open and Bushido missing in action.  
  
Now you were skipping work and running around the neighborhood looking for your pet.  You were already on the verge of tears, feeling like the worst pet owner in the entire universe as you called out his name, hoping to whoever was listening that he would come back to you with that doggy scowl he always wore.  
  
Damn it, how had you already become so attached to him!?  It felt like a devastating blow and your heart ached knowing he was now on the streets all alone and probably cold and hungry.  
  
"I'm sorry, ______."  The older man sighed as you walked back to the apartment with him.  He had volunteered to help you look and had seemed to have no luck as well.  
  
"I-It's okay, Jinbei."  You rubbed one of your eyes, hoping to quickly stop the tears before they started to fall.  You hated crying in public so much, but it was so hard in this situation.  "I'm sure he'll come back.  He's probably just...exploring his surroundings.  I'll make fliers tomorrow if there's still no sign of him."  
  
You'd definitely call your local humane societies and pounds too; you were so glad you put that collar on him when you did.  Now it'll be obvious someone owns him and he wouldn't be put up for adoption if found, or worse...  
  
Jinbei looked doubtful on the idea that Bushido was merely exploring, but didn't say anything.  He was sweet like that and you were so lucky to have a great neighbor who had basically became your Mr. Miyagi when you first moved in.  He even grew his own bonzai trees on his tiny back balcony while giving you sage advice on life and where to find the best grocery coupons.  
  
You both departed to your homes with respective words and you immediately got to work putting up internet posts about your missing dog.  You wished you had a picture to share of him but he had only been living with you for a day and a half that you hadn't thought of solidifying the memories.  
  
It was going to be so much harder to find him without them, but hopefully the description of a 'big, scowly dog' was enough for the moment.  
  
You placed your head in your hands and took deep, calming breaths, feeling like an idiot.  You never got so attached to things or people, but apparently living on your own for so long had made you susceptible to any form of contact to a living being.  Even though Bushido had showed no interest in you, you had latched onto him, starved for some form of attention.  
  
Christ, it was like having a boyfriend who dumped you for a better girl or something.  This sucked so much balls.  
  
  
  
It had been a week and a half when Bushido went missing and you still had no word from anyone on any missing dog.  The humane society had no animals of your description and though you thought you had a few leads on the internet from sightings, none of them turned up anything.  You had almost given up, resigned to never adopting another animal to avoid this heartache.  
  
But then he came back.  
  
Covered with wounds and blood.


	4. Chapter 4

3:44 AM  
  
 _ **Scratch.  Scratch.**_    
  
You were hiding under the blankets, eyes wide with fear as the scratching sound continued over and over.  Like some creature was intent on scaring the living shit out of you.  
  
It was like the one time you complained to the landlord about a possible dead body living in your vents and was chewing on some poor person who was foolish enough to go walking alone at night like in those horror movies.    You were sure it was feeding on a teenager.  I mean, it's always a teenager that gets offed.  You had a shelf full of slasher films to back you up.  
  
But when you complained, you were met with a pest control worker sent by your landlord who found the source of the noise to be a raccoon building a nest and occasionally chewing on bits of old screws.  
  
The raccoon and the hole it crawled into was taken care of, but you could never get the image of a corpse crawling around in your vents (with it's glazed, dead eyes and deformed body), feeding off teenagers and whoever it could get it's hands on; all the while, the creature got it's jolly off of tormenting you to an early grave.  
  
 _'This time.'_  You thought, intensely.   _'I'm sure it's a murderer with a hook for a hand.'_  
  
 _ **Scratch.  Scratch.**_    
  
You pulled the blankets over your head tighter, imagining them as some forcefield to keep whatever horror was at your door.  
  
"I'm such a chicken-shit," You muttered under your breath.    
  
 _ **Scratch.  Scratch.  Scratch.**_ ....   _ **Grrrrowl.**_  
  
That made you sit upright, eyes even wider as you stared down your tiny hall and right at the front door.  Your breathing was heavy as you tried to calm yourself, eyes never leaving the ugly white door with the tiny peep hole that never really worked.  
  
"Chicken-shit.  Chicken-shit."  Repeating this, you slowly leaned over the side of your bed and felt around underneath, too frightened to think about your theory of a creature living underneath your bedsprings at night.  You finally closed your fingers around the wooden bat you kept for emergencies and pulled it out, clutching it tightly and going into lightsaber position.  
  
 _ **Scratch.  Scratch.**_  
  
You slipped out of bed, blankets falling off your shoulders as you took tentative steps towards the end of the hall.  The floor of the living room creaked slightly under your weight, making you freeze and listen intently.  
  
Nothing.  
  
All you could hear was your heavy breathing.  You clasped your hands around the wooden bat tighter as you tried to focus harder.    
  
But it seemed the scratching had stopped, like the hook-handed asswipe had heard the creak and was now preparing to murder you as soon as you got near the front door.  
  
Jokes on him, you used to play softball....Well, kind of.  You sucked at it, but any idiot could swing a bat.  
  
You continued your trek towards the front door, your perception of time at that moment making it feel like hours instead of the usual twenty-seconds it took to reach from one end of your apartment to the other.  But then it suddenly felt not long at all as you placed your hand on the doorknob, sweating profusely as you attempted to psyche yourself up.  
  
 _'You can do this.  Jerk won't know what hit him!  Just a good swing and I'll knock his dumb head off then place his hook on my wall as a memento.'_  
  
You hopped slightly from one foot to the other like a boxer warming up for a match before swinging open the door with determined force.  
  
Then you dropped the bat, rushing forward to the wounded dog laying in front of your door.  
  
~  
  
"Oh god, Bushido."  You sobbed, trying to keep the dog still as you did your best to bandage up his wounds.  He kept struggling and growling angrily whenever you touched him, making it hard to clean him up and fix what you could.  You didn't know any vets open at this hour so you had to do what you could.  
  
He was covered in so much blood.  
  
He had been unconscious when you had opened the door, which made it easier to drag him inside.  You had grabbed as many towels and bandages you could.  But you didn't own a first aid kit, so you made due with what you had.  
  
When you had come back with an armful of stuff you thought could help, he was suddenly awake and aware.  He growled and snapped as you got close, which made you wary of him at first.  But he was already forming a pool of blood on the carpet so you sucked it up and moved in.    
  
The dog had a few superficial looking cuts on his legs and face, nothing a bit of rubbing alcohol couldn't fix.  But the real wounds were on his stomach and shoulders.  The biggest was a long cut ranging from his hipbone all the way across his skin and to his shoulder.  
  
It was like someone had taken a knife and sliced him up.  This was enough to make you weep at the thought of someone hurting your dog.    
  
"C'mon big guy, I-I'm here to help."  You gritted your teeth as you worked on the big wound, attempting to clean it while you tried to think of a way to close it up before he bled to death.  
  
Bushido growled loudly when you pressed the washcloth to his wound and suddenly snapped.   You moved away just in time before his long, white teeth could snag into your arm and rip it to shreds.  His good eye glowed with anger and pain as he glared you down, daring you to touch him again.  
  
You fell back a little in shock, eyes wide as the dog growled even more.  You were afraid of being bitten, but looking at the wound made you more afraid you would lose him more than you would lose a limb.  
  
" **HEY!** "  You snarled, tone sharp and firm.  This made the dog freeze, but his ears were still back and lips curled.  You took a deep breath and continued, your own eyes flashing in anger.  " **I'm going to help.  I am going to fix that wound whether you like it or not.** "  
  
He didn't move, but his lips did lower a little over his pearly white canines.  
  
Your tone grew softer, "It'll hurt.  But it'll hurt a lot worse if I don't do anything."  
  
Bushido glared at you but you glared right back.  It took a solid three minutes for your Mexican standoff, precious minutes you didn't have.  But it seemed to work as his good eye suddenly flickered away and his head lowered slightly.  You took this as a sign of surrender and moved back in, cleaning up the blood and moving the fur back so you could look at the damage.  
  
Damn it, it was MUCH worse than you originally thought.  
  
Shit, what the hell were you going to do?!  You didn't have an ounce of medical training and this was clearly something you shouldn't mess with.  He would need a crap ton of stitches.  Think.  Think!   **THINK!**  
  
You placed the towel on Bushido's stomach, making sure to apply enough pressure before standing up and running to the front door.  You ignored your dog's soft whine as you left the apartment and ran to the apartment next door, knocking so hard that the _306_ almost fell off.  
  
The door opened before it could though, a tired looking Jinbei glancing around for the source of his lost sleep before his slanted eyes landed on you and widened.  He wore a white kimono and his hair was out of it's usual ponytail, wild looking and spilling over his shoulders, making you think he had more than Japanese in him.  
  
"______?  What are you doing awake at this hour?"  He gasped and suddenly clasped his hands on your shoulders, eyes even wider.  "Why are you covered in blood?!  What happened?!!"  
  
You blinked in confusion, thrown off at the question before looking down at your sorry state.  
  
The whole front of your blue tank top was stained a dark brown, soaked through the front and sticking to your chest.  Your baggy, flannel pants even redder then the original pattern.  
  
God, you looked like hell.  
  
That wasn't all, you noticed the floor beneath you was littered with bloody footprints coming from your own apartment and even a giant stain of red on the cement in front of your door where Bushido had been found.  
  
"Holy mint chocolate-chip..."  
  
"_____!  What happened?!"  Jinbei shook you slightly, making you come back to your senses.  
  
"J-Jinbei!!  I need your help!!"  You cried out, hoping your neighbor wouldn't shake his head at your request and go back to bed.  "I-It's Bushido!  He came back, but he's hurt!  He's hurt so bad Jinbei!"  
  
You didn't notice giant, crocodile tears pooling in your eyes and washing down your face.   "He's hurt so b-bad and I don't know what to do and you said you had been in the army a l-long time ago and I t-thought maybe you w-would know and I need h-h-help!  Please!!  Jinbei, please!!"  
  
You sobbed near the end of you begging and tugged at the hem of your top anxiously, fearing your dog was dying as you spoke.  
  
He was silent for a moment, taking in your trembling form before turning around and into his home.  He was back in just a few moments with a green russack bag.  He then pulled his graying hair back out of his face and nodded to you with a serious look, "Take me to him."  
  
Grabbing his forearm, you hastily dragged him back to your apartment and around the sofa to the nest of towels, your dog whining and shifting in the middle with a wide eye.  He suddenly stiffened at the sight of Jinbei, not liking the idea of a stranger seeing him in such a weak state.  He growled lowly and bared his teeth, head slightly raised off the floor with what strength he had.  
  
Jinbei looked a bit apprehensive at the sight of the very large dog.  You mentioned he was huge, but he know of any dog that got as big as this.  
  
" **Bushido.** "  You warned, voice firm once more.  The dog stiffened, wary eye looking to you.  "Jinbei is here to help.   **Behave.** "  
  
The dog looked like he didn't care for the idea of the stranger getting close to him at all.  But the look you gave him made him surrender once more; he stopped baring his teeth, but kept his distrustful gaze on the large man as he moved forward.  
  
You mentally applauded your neighbor as he knelt by the dog, white kimono already getting splotches of blood on it as he pulled out his supplies.  Jinbei looked a bit pale as he started to look over the dog, his lined eyes looking more strained as he pushed back the fur with gentle hands.  
  
Bushido growled very softly but you were already kneeling by his head and lightly stroking it, making him stop.  
  
"Can...Can you help him?"  You asked softly, trembling hands placing the dog's head in your lap.  "I mean...you have some kind of medical training, right?"  
  
"No."  The large Japanese man replied, shaking his head as he pulled out a clear little box with needles and thread.  "But I do know how to sew."  
  
You looked at him with alarm, "S-Sew?"  
  
He chuckled, noting your doubt.  "It comes in handy when there are big gashes like this."  
  
Jinbei ignored the thread in the case as he picked up one of the needles.  He pulled out some long wire and some rubbing alcohol and started to sterilize his equipment.  "I've had to do this a few times in the field.  Legs, faces, jackets."  
  
He looked at you, a skeptical gaze on your face.  "You'll have to hold him.  Can you do that?"  
  
Like you had a choice.  Nodding your head, you gave Bushido's head one last pet before placing your hands on his bulky form.  "I-I'll do my best."  
  
Your neighbor nodded and threaded his needle before getting to work.  
  
~~  
  
Your arms ached and both of you were exhausted.  Jinbei was sporting some bags under his eyes as he wiped the sweat off his forehead after finishing up his work.  Bushido had struggled wildly at first, snapping at the former soldier, but a good command from you kept the dog from ripping out Jinbei's throat.  Once he finished the long wound, he had stitched together the other tiny ones.  At this point, Bushido was already lulling in and out; he was clearly in so much pain, but he kept his good eye on the large man in suspicion.  
  
"It's all I can do.  Animals are very different from people, but I'm positive we got everything."  He smiled at you, but it turned into a worried frown at how haggard you looked.  "______-chan."  
  
"He'll be okay right?"  You asked, gently petting the dog's head as Bushido continued to glare weakly at your neighbor.  
  
Jinbei sighed softly, putting his things back in his bag before giving your shoulder a squeeze.  "All we can do is wait.  If he's strong enough to still glare at me, then I'm sure he'll be strong enough to walk this off."  
  
You laughed, wiping your eyes with your arm before more tears could fall.  "Thank you, Jinbei."  
  
You hadn't noticed him add the 'chan' honorific at the end of your name.  He had never done that before and Jinbei definitely celebrated his culture, but you had never heard him use any suffixes with anyone.  You assumed that you both were just formal enough as regular neighbors.  Maybe this experience brought you both closer?  Not in a romantic way or whatever, but definitely a Master and Student way.  
  
You would look back on this later and think you were a step closer to asking your neighbor to teach you how to break a board.  
  
Jinbei smiled at you and stood up, looking at his pocket watch and noting they had been at this for two and a half hours.  "I'll leave you two.  We all need some sleep after this."  
  
"Thank you so much, Jinbei."  You repeated, smiling as you got up to show the man out.  
  
"Get some sleep, _____-chan."  Jinbei mused, ruffling your hair a little before leaving.  
  
Closing the door, you walked back to Bushido who seemed to stare at the closed door for a few seconds before finally relaxing.  He laid his head on the toweled floor and let out a long, tired sigh. You walked back over to him and sat by his side, running your hand over his fur, careful to avoid his stitched wounds.  
  
"Hanging in there big guy?"  You cooed, feeling a bit relaxed as well.  He let out a soft huff in response, but it didn't sound annoyed like his huffs usually did.  Just tired.  
  
Bushido seemed more content under your petting then when you had him a week ago.  Maybe he liked you a bit more now that you helped?  But that wouldn't make sense, he should have loved Jinbei.  But you supposed anyone with a needle would be a bit scary.  He seemed to listen to you now too.  He didn't snap at your neighbor when you commanded him to keep still and even kept his growls to a minimal.  Then again, pain makes others do crazy things.  
  
You were too tired to really think much into it.  Bushido seemed to have the right idea as well, good eye closed and breathing slow and rhythmic.  
  
You rubbed your eyes, fighting off a headache as you found yourself laying on your side beside your dog.  It wasn't comfortable, but you didn't care.  Sleep sounded amazing right now.


	5. Chapter 5

**The figure looked up at the run down apartment building, eyes practically glowing  from the shadows as he stared up at a particular door.  The trail had brought him down from the mountains and to this place.  Surely, the creature was hiding out here.  
  
He hummed in thought, noting there were many innocents around and one most likely inside with the creature.  He would have to plan accordingly so not to involve the civilian.    
  
Patience.  He will wait.  
  
**  
~  
  
You woke up wearily, focus going from one band poster to another then to the window as sunlight shone through.  You reached to the bedside table and felt around clumsily until you clutched your phone.  Pressing the unlock button, you looked at the time through squinted eyes.  
  
10:27 AM.  
  
"Uggggggghhhhh," you groaned, letting your arm flop to the bed as you closed your eyes.  You could sleep for a few more-  
  
You sat up quickly and looked around, mouth open in shock.  How the hell did you get to your room!?  Last you checked you had been sleeping on the floor with Bushido.  
  
As if on cue, the dog stretched next to your feet and weakly lifted his head to stare at you.  He moved a little slow, but that was understandable considering his condition.  But how did you get into your room?  You don't remember getting up and moving in here...wait, was Bushido laying in bed with you?  He always kept to the couch and had never came to your room before.  
  
You moved forward, reaching out warily towards the large dog.  He eyed your hand a little before butting his head against your palm, making you squeak.  
  
"Soooo cute~!"  You mewled, petting him with glee.  He had never let you pet him, not unless you jumped him, but he was willingly coming to you!  You enjoyed this moment of triumph for a few seconds before crawling forward.  
  
"Okay, Bushido.  I'm just going to check your stitches."  You delicately moved some of his fur back to look at the wounds, noting none of them had reopened.  That was good, you'd hate Jinbei's work to go to waste.  
  
Oddly, some of the wounds were already scabbing over.  Do dogs heal this fast?  Surely not, but it's not like you were a vet.  You moved closer and checked the biggest stitch of all, the one going from his right hip bone all the way to his left shoulder.  
  
"That one will definitely scar," You frowned, wondering what exactly had happened to Bushido during his disappearance.    
  
What if he had been picked up by dog fighters?  I mean, it would explain quite a bit.  But what kind of depraved person cut up a dog like this?  Rage seemed to boil inside you at the thought.  If you ever met these people, you were sure to give their heads a beating with your bat.  You didn't know how to fight, but you were a scrapper and everyone knows that scrappers fight dirty and they fight mean.  
  
Bushido ran his tongue over your hand, startling you out of your rage filled thoughts.  He looked up at you tiredly before placing his large paw on your arm.  You looked confused until he did it again with a demanding look that made you laugh.  
  
"You attention whore," You smiled and started to scratch behind his ears, which he seemed to like a lot; all thoughts of fighting gone as soon as you paid attention to your precious puppy.  
  
~  
  
"Yeah, tomorrow?"  You nodded and wrote down the date and time on a piece of paper.  "I can come in then.  Yes...oh!  He's kind of big, but-"  You blinked, turning to look into the living from your seat at the kitchen table, wondering if Bushido was still napping on the couch.  "Right.  Okay.  Um, what...how much do you estimate...?"  
  
A dark cloud practically formed over your head at the answer.  There goes your christmas money.  
  
"Thank you.  I'll see you then."  Hanging up the phone, you sighed and rubbed your eyes.  You knew vet bills were going to be expensive, but that much for a first time appointment?!  Something heavy seemed to lean against your leg and you looked down, your dog resting his chin on your thigh nonchalantly.  
  
The sight made you smile.  It had been a few days since he had come home and Bushido seemed more attached to you then you ever thought possible.  He followed you almost everywhere and though you pretended not to notice, he would peak out the window and waited for your return then get on the couch as soon as you opened the front door, acting as if he hadn't been.  
  
It was very sweet.    
  
You reached down and scratched his head affectionately, watching him practically ooze with comfort at your touch.  
  
"You've turned into a big dork~."  He jerked away suddenly at the statement and glared, making you laugh.  "What?  I still think you're tough."  
  
Bushido huffed but placed his chin back on your leg, demanding to be petted once more.  Laughing, you proceeded to spoil the mutt until there was a knock on your door.  
  
You got up and went to open it, Bushido right on your heels with a glare, wondering who was interrupting the peace.  
  
"Jinbei!"  You smiled, the large man standing in your entryway with his usual indifferent frown.  He had taken the habit of visiting almost every day to make sure you and Bushido were alright.  He was turning more and more into someone you could definitely rely on.  
  
"_____-chan."  He nodded in greeting then looked down, seeing Bushido pressed against your leg, hackles raised slightly as he glared.  "Dog."  
  
The mutt growled in response, annoyed that the man was visiting at all.  Though, it was better then when your landlord had visited the other day, Bushido had nearly bit his leg off for daring to yell at you about rent.  
  
You reached down and gently pinched the dog's nose, making him huff and shake his head.  "Want something to drink?  I can make-"  
  
The older man shook his head before holding up a red box and fishing pole.  "I came to tell you I'm going on a fishing trip."  
  
Blinking, you stared at the supplies before holding up your hands with a nervous grin.  "I-I'm sorry.  I don't really like fishing, but thanks for the invite?"  
  
Jinbei chuckled and shook his head, "No no.  I wish to ask you a favor."  
  
"Oh?"  
  
He handed you his spare key, making you gasp and hold it up like it was plot device in a game.  "Ooooooh~!"  
  
"I need you to feed my fish while I'm gone.  You don't have to water the plants, I have one of those mail order watering devices I got off the TV-"  
  
"Wait," You frowned, interrupting his rambling.  "You have pet fish but...you're going fishing?"  
  
Jinbei puffed up.  "My fish are tropical and beautiful.  I'm going to catch fresh-water ones to eat."  
  
You snickered, "Okay.  Okay, I'll feed the fishies."  
  
"Thank you, _____-chan."  Jinbei grinned.  "I left instructions by the tank.  I'll be back in three days."  
  
"Have fun!"  You waved as he left, watching him go down the rickety, metal stairs to the parking lot.  You grinned as you saw him put on a silly fishing hat before getting into his car and driving away.  
  
"Feeding fish shouldn't be so hard," You mumbled as you closed the door behind you, placing the key on the coffee table.  "Just gotta remember to is all."  
  
You stretched and proceeded down the hall, Bushido following you closely before stopping as you entered your bathroom and turned on the shower.  He quickly changed direction and went back to the living room, not once looking at you as you started to undress; acting like a shy teen who inadvertently peeked on a girl.  
  
He refused to see you naked.  Not because you were ugly or anything, but because he knew it was wrong.  
  
Especially considering he wasn't really a dog.  
  
~~  
  
"C'mon, you slug!"  You hissed, dragging the dog through the door and into the small room that held an exam table and medical supplies.  It looked like any other vet's office.  Sink and counter against the wall with plain drawers and shelves that contained supplies and pamphlets.  There was a metal chair in the corner that was for pet owners and posters littering the walls about Pet Hygiene, Dog and Cat Breeds, and phone numbers to animal services and emergency lines.  
  
You had managed to get the giant mutt through the door before closing it behind you, ignoring the looks of other pet owners in the waiting room as they looked on with apprehension; holding their own pets tight as if Bushido had threatened to eat them all.  
  
The dog quickly studied his surroundings with a scowl as you went to sit down, watching as he paced around the room and sniff at everything.  He kept sending you angry glares, blaming you for his predicament.  
  
"Hey, don't look at me!  You would have had to come here sooner or later, especially since I'm not sure if you're even healed."  
  
Bushido looked relatively healthy now, his cuts and bruises all but gone.  The only one that had remained was the long stitched scar across his chest, but it too looked like it had been there for years instead of a week.  It was a bit puzzling, but you were just happy he seemed okay.  That didn't mean he shouldn't visit a vet though.  He needed shots, a flea check, and a you needed a professional opinion to tell you if you were even doing this right.  As much as you liked winging things, taking care of a dog was not something one should be flippant about.  
  
There was another thing you wanted to ask about, but preferred not to mention it with Bushido in earshot.  You were sure he would understand what 'getting fixed' meant.  
  
The dog huffed and continued his probing, bushy tail lowered slightly between his legs.  It was about fifteen minutes of waiting and him exploring the room before Bushido skittered over to you and growled protectively as the door on the other side of the office opened, a young man with glasses walked in.  
  
"Ah, Miss ______ and Bushido?"  The vet looked up from his clipboard and sputtered slightly at the sight of the aggressive canine.  Oh dear.  
  
"Hi!!  It's nice to meet you...?"  
  
"Doctor Alan," The man grinned, reaching out to pet your dog before jumping back before Bushido's sharp teeth snatched his fingers.  The dog practically smiled, knowing he wasn't really going to bite the hand, but he enjoyed to 'playfully' snap at people.  
  
You quickly grabbed your dog's red collar and apologized.  "I'm sorry!!  He's just a little skittish!  H-He's never really hurt anyone!!"  
  
The vet looked skeptical but walked forward, trying to think of worse pets he's treated.  "I-It's okay.  Let's get this started, okay?"  
  
After somehow getting Bushido onto the exam table, you kept him still as the vet did his exam, noting the scars and sheen of his coat as a sign of his health before writing things down.  He then pulled out the syringe and your dog's fur was suddenly sticking out like an angry cat.  
  
With some grappling, you managed to hold the mutt still while Doctor Alan hurriedly stuck the needle in his butt, making the dog suddenly howl.  
  
You both heard crashing noises in the waiting room, animals barking and hissing at the eerie sound as if they were about to be slaughtered.  You blinked at your dog then looked at the vet who's glasses were askew, eyes wide in shock.  
  
"Um, he might have some wolf in him...but he's a sweetheart, I swear."  
  
The young man didn't respond, writing down a few more notes while keeping his eyes off the huge animal on the table who was snarling at him.  "R-Right.  Well, everything seems to be in order.  Those scars look nasty, but they seem to be healing quite well.  He's had them for so long and if they haven't been a problem then they won't be."  
  
You frowned.  Was a week really that long for a scar to heal?    
  
"He doesn't have any fleas, so you don't have to worry about that.  But, I have to say, he weighs a bit more then he should."  
  
Bushido stiffened, fire in his eye.  
  
"I know he's big, but he's got a bit more bulk then any dog I've seen.  I would suggest laying off the treats for a while."  
  
"Right, no problem."  You glanced at your dog and grinned at the annoyed scowl he was giving Doctor Alan.  
  
"Other then that, he's in perfectly good health." The man grinned, watching you help Bushido down and bend over as you hooked him onto his leash.  
  
The dog's gaze sharpened, eyeing the man as he obviously checked out your ass.  
  
"I'm surprised.  When you called and said he was big I wasn't expecting this!"  He laughed, leaning against the counter in a relaxed pose.  
  
"Yeah, everyone reacts that way.  But he's my fluff-butt and I know he wouldn't hurt a fly."  
  
The vet laughed, adjusting his glasses.  "Well, I'm sure he just knows a sweet lady when he sees one."  
  
Your face turned a slight red, noticing you were being flirted with. "T-Thanks."  
  
 "So, is there a boyfriend who helps you with him-"  He jumped back suddenly when the dog moved in front of you, giving him a warning growl.  
  
"Bushido!"  
  
The vet gulped and adjusted his tie.  "I-It's okay!  I'm used to animals like this, I'm sure he's just protecting his territory."  
  
 _ **'Back off.'**_  The dog snarled loudly, eye blazing dangerously.  
  
"We better go.  I think he's just a bit overwhelmed today."  You frowned, knowing he had been annoyed at all the other pets in the waiting room.  Nodding, the vet showed you through the back and towards the receptionist's counter where you paid your bill and left, Bushido looking more relaxed as you made it to the car.  You had to tug him a few times to the right car though, he had seemed to think you had parked across the street.  
  
"You're impossible."  You muttered, rolling down the window half way for the mutt.  He didn't stick his head out like a normal dog, but he did enjoy the breeze.  
  
~~~  
  


It was the third time you had tried to clean the blood stain out of the carpet, cursing angrily under your breath as you rubbed the wash cloth into the floor.  Bushido watched you from your place on the carpet, looking a bit sorry for you but didn't really do anything to help other then yawn and nap on and off.

After two hours of trying, you gave up once more and threw the dirty cloth into the kitchen in a huff.  You crossed your arms and glared at the clock, noting it was way past time you had planned to go to bed.  You had an exam in the morning and you hadn't studied as much as you had wanted.  You could totally wing a B, but you had preferred to at least try and keep straight As.  At least it was some dumb throwaway class.

You rubbed your eyes tiredly and sighed, bumping into the coffee table as you stood.  A shiny object fell onto the carpet, making you frown.  You bent over and picked it up, face screwed up in concentration.

"Oh shit!"  Jinbei's fish!!  It had been almost two days and you haven't fed them!!

You ran to the door, praying you hadn't killed your neighbor's pets, slamming the door behind you and running next door.

How horrible would it be if they were belly up in their tank?!  Jinbei, sweet sweet Jinbei, coming home to seeing his pets dead after spending all that time helping yours.  Ugh, you were such an asshole!

You stumbled into the apartment and felt the wall for the lights.  Flipping them on, you stared around in awe at how curiously decorated the apartment was.  It was as big as your own, but much more personalized.  On the walls were foreign scrolls of paintings and poems you couldn't read.  The furniture was very ornate and expensive looking while the kitchen looked like it was supplied with the best cooking tools one could find at the store.

Shit, Jinbei had all this and was living in such a shitty area?  You wondered what that was about as you looked around for a fish tank or bowl or whatever.  It wasn't hard to find.  A large square tank sat against the far wall in front of a comfy looking recliner, glowing a soft greenish-blue.

You looked through the glass frantically and sighed in relief at the sight of swimming forms.  

"Looks like none of you will have to face the toilet."  You grinned, finding a note taped to the glass with instructions on how much to put in.  

Five shakes of the food was all you needed to do.  It seemed easy enough as you followed the one instruction.  Honestly, you weren't sure why Jinbei didn't just tell you this but then realized the rest of the note had a list of names and description - making you realize Jinbei had wanted you to marvel at his pets.  You snickered and looked at the tank, finding each fish in the description while saying hi each.

Shirahoshi was obviously the pretties seahorse of the bunch~.

You then spent a good ten minutes studying the fish with curiosity.  Each one as interesting as the last, swimming lazily around the toy castle, through seaweed, and over rocks.  One was even burrowed in the pebbles!

"Neat~."  You giggled, pressing your nose to glass.

_**CRASH!!!** _

You jerked away from the tank, eyes wide at the sudden noise.  It sounded like it had come from...

Another loud crashing noise made you run out of Jinbei's apartment and back to your own, gasping at the sight of your front door open before barging in.

What you saw was not exactly what you expected.  A very tall man in a long coat and weird hat stood with his back to you, holding a very long and scary looking sword.  

"What the double fudged-!?"

He looked over his shoulder, gold eyes piercing right into you.  He turned slightly, gripping his scary-ass sword in his hand like it was as light as a feather.  When he moved his form you finally noticed the other man in the room.

A very naked man.

You screamed.  Loud and hard as you took one step back, but before the thought of running away could even pop into your head, the streaker had quickly kicked at the sword-wielding maniac.  The force had knocked him back so hard that he smashed into the kitchen table, breaking it in two.  He moved to you now, snatching you up in one smooth motion.

You felt toned arms wrap around your waist and lift you up over the nude guy's shoulders before he ran forward and over the balcony.  You dug your nails into his back, eyes wide and scream stuck in your throat as the feeling of falling took over.  One moment you were floating, your stomach feeling like it was in your chest now; then the next moment both of you were jolted as he landed in the parking lot.  The man's form was in a kneeling position as he held you tightly, grip showing no signs of releasing you.  Your eyes gazed down and you noted the black cement had cracks in it, but realized in shock that the man looked anything but hurt over the landing.

You squeaked, feeling lightheaded as the stranger looked at you with one good eye, his left sporting long thin scar.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Here, might as well add two at a time until it's caught up to what I have on my deviantart :B

_"Oh shit!"  Jinbei's fish!!  It had been almost two days and you haven't fed them!!  
  
Bushido looked up, staring after you as you ran outside, slamming the door as you hurried to Jinbei's home.  He huffed and laid his head back on his paws, yawning as he prepared for his fourth nap that day.  His tail gently wagged as he started to nod off.  
  
The dog's ears flicked slightly before he suddenly sat back up, ears folding back as he growled.  
  
He raised his nose to the air and sniffed, eyes narrowing after catching an all too familiar scent.  Snarling, he jumped off the couch and glared at the door, watching the doorknob turn.  In your haste to run to Jinbei's you had forgotten to lock up behind you and now someone very familiar was coming in...  
  
Bastard.  How had he found him?  He had been sure he had lost him in the mountains and now he had followed him here?!  
  
The door slowly opened and a tall man stood in the doorway.  
  
He wore a long coat that laid open, revealing a bare, toned chest with a gold cross hanging around his neck.  On his head was a hat with a feather in it and he wore crisp pants, as if they would always be wrinkle free no matter what happened.  The stranger was very handsome, beard and mustache trimmed neatly around his pointed face.  His eyes are what drew most attention though, sharp and golden.  Definitely not the eyes of any normal human.  
  
The man took the very large, cross shaped sword off his back, it's jewels glinting in it's ornate hilt as it practically sang for Bushido's blood.  
  
Just looking at the dangerous blade made his chest scar ache.  
  
They both said nothing, glaring at one another.  Bushido's hackles raised, snarling and digging his dangerous looking claws into the carpet, looking much sharper than normal now.  
  
The stranger hummed, adjusting his grip on the large sword. "I never knew you to be a coward.  But to take refuge in a human's home?   **It's pathetic.** "  
  
Bushido snarled, body suddenly growing larger and bulkier.  The tense and silent room grew loud as the sounds of bones snapping and breaking filled it.  The dog growled low and monstrously as he took shape, fur receding and body practically breaking and reforming from a large wolf and into a thick, powerful man.  
  
Black fur disappeared to reveal tanned skin while his animal ears painfully grew and shifted into human ones.  His hind legs snapped forwards slightly then back at an awkward angle before growing human like while his large paws grew long and thin into hands.  His eyes changed only slightly in his transformation, pupils growing smaller but they still held their color, though they held hints of madness in them.  
  
"What I do is my business," Bushido growled, large palms still looking lethal with sharp nails as he slowly stood from his kneeling position and into bipedal form.  He looked so angry, for what reason, the swordsman had many guesses.  
  
"Your business is mine to know,"  his sword clinked, blade shining alarmingly.  "Wolves are dangerous.  Letting just one in is fatal."  
  
Bushido suddenly grinned, though it wasn't a happy one.  His eyes shone with crazed madness while his mouth showed off knife-like teeth.  "I can show you how **_fatal_** I can be."  
  
It was so quick and unnoticeable, but the wolf moved in time.  One moment they were talking at a standoff then the next he sidestepped the hunter's lethal swipe of his sword.    
  
All was quiet.  But when looking behind him, the wolf he noted the soft rumbling sound of the living room wall shifting very slightly.  He stared as the white plaster formed a long crack from the floor and all the way up to the ceiling, a picture frame snapping in two from receiving the same cut.  Luckily the wall didn't move too much or the ceiling and floor above them would be caving in.  Bushido had no doubt that the bathroom behind the wall was also cut through.    
  
As if on cue, the sound of porcelain falling to the floor and crashing into the tile answered his ears along with the sound of spraying water.  No doubt that one slash destroyed the sink on the other side.  
  
Bushido turned to look back at the hunter, glare still on his face.  
  
The swordsman didn't even look disappointed at missing his target.  Merely studying him with interest.  Not many wolves had such reflexes and this one was definitely interesting.  His gaze landed on the long scar.  
  
"I see I left some impression on you."  
  
Bushido reacted by touching his chest.  
  
The golden eyed man tilted his head slightly, "I'm even more impressed you fought back."  
  
The wolf grinned, "It's shameful for warriors to have scars on their back."  
  
The statement made the hunter smirk, gripping his sword and preparing for another attack when someone came into the apartment behind him.  
  
"What the double-fudge?!"  
  
_  
  
~  
  
You gripped the man's back so hard that you were sure your nails were digging and breaking his skin.  Bushido didn't even notice your grip, too busy thinking for a way out so you wouldn't get hurt.  
  
You struggled, freaking the fuck out as the man kept his hold on you.  "L-Let me go!!"  You screeched, now pounding on his back.  
  
Bushido scowled in annoyance, wishing you would just shut up so he could protect you.  
  
You saw a movement above and looked up before letting out a scream.  The hunter was now following after you two, jumping off the balcony and raising his sword to strike mid-air.  
  
"Look out!  Look out!!"  
  
"Tch."  The naked man jumped to the side just as the swordsman's weapon struck the pavement, causing the previous crater you both left to widen considerably.    
  
You found yourself wrapping  your arms around the streaker's neck and whimpered, staring with wide eyes at the swordsman.  Bushido quickly jumped back onto a parked car, making sure to put some distance between the stranger and you two.  He growled menacingly as the hunter stood and prepared to strike once more.  
  
They both stared for a full minute before the naked man moved with you onto another car.  But why?  It's not like the man had attacked you both-  
  
"EEEEEEHHHH?!?!?!!"  You stared wide eyed as the red toyota you both had been on suddenly break in half with a loud, alarming screech.  No.  Break wasn't the right word, it was cut cleanly in two!!!  The cut itself was so precise that it looked like someone had taken a pair of scissors to the vehicle and cut straight down the middle like it had been paper.  
  
"Holy shit.  HOLY SHIT!   **HOLY SHIT!!!** "  
  
Bushido could practically feel the fear radiating off you as you shook in his arms.  He suppressed the urge to bite into your neck and relish in your tender flesh, the predator side of him practically egging him on.  He opted instead to gently pet your head, your trembling form calming down a little.  Bushido wished to fight back so badly, but with you in such a state he had higher priorities.  
  
And number one was calming you down.  
  
You gasped when the strange green haired male suddenly nuzzle his nose into your hair; cooing softly into your ear.  You could feel your body relax as he did this and you were too thankful and frazzled to think why.  
  
It was kind of nice.  You both were suddenly lost in a weird, tender moment.  
  
But then the sound of a car horn letting out a long, loud alarm caused you both to come back to reality and the scarred stranger moved away just in time as a junky Honda landed on top of the car you had previously vacated; crushing the roof of the automobile and shattering it's windows.  It took only a few seconds for the tearing metal to finally settle, but that didn't keep you from freaking out all over again.  
  
"Did...Did he just throw a car at us?!?"  You asked in a breathless voice, feeling more like this was some nightmare you couldn't wake up from.  
  
"Hunters tend to do that."  The naked man's voice rumbled in his chest and against your form, making you realize how close you two were.  
  
Eyes blinking, you found yourself glancing down...down... _down..._  
  
You were jerked once more as your...savior?  Was he?  I mean, he was protecting you, but why?    
  
Anyways, you were jerked again as he dodged the swordsman once more, the male having charged at you and started to slash and strike mercilessly.  The male holding you was surprisingly fast though, dodging each attack with graceful speed.    
  
Maybe you were high, I mean, it could explain this crazy shit happening right now.    
  
You gasped when one attack finally got in a hit, but just barely.  You saw a thin cut appear on your savior's shoulder and dribble a little bit of blood.  He merely glanced at it then went back to dodging until the sound of wailing sirens interrupted the fight between the two males.  
  
Fuck yes, the police!!  You could even see the flashing lights in the distance as they lit up the dark streets.  
  
The Hunter looked displeased as he placed his sword on his back and gave Mr. Streaker a contemptuous glare before suddenly disappearing out of thin air.  You blinked in utter shock, unsure if what you just witnessed even happened or not.  
  
"Shit."  The man holding you hissed and placed you back on his shoulder before running away from the apartments and down an alley, pulling you out of your stupor.  
  
"Wait!!"  You gasped, eyes wide as you watched as you lost sight of your apartment.  "Take me back home!!"  
  
When he didn't respond you yelled at him again to take you back but he merely grunted in response, making you angry.  You snarled and started hitting the man hard on his back.  "Take me back, you ass-hat!!"  
  
He ignored you and continued to turn and run down each alley and empty street, avoiding any lamp light until he made it to the rural part of town where he kept to the vacant backyards and playgrounds as he made it to the outskirts where the forest was.  
  
It was a good thirty minutes of you screaming and struggling as he carried you deep into the woods before he stopped and placed you on your feet where you immediately started to beat him up.  
  
And when I say beat him up, I mean throw limp wrist punches into his chest.  
  
"Bastard!  Fiend!!  Pervert!!  Take me home now!!"  
  
He watched you with a raised eyebrow, letting you get a few hits in before grabbing your wrists and keeping them still.  
  
" **Stop.** "  He hissed, face suddenly inches from yours with his sharp teeth slightly bared.   
  
You responded by blowing a raspberry at him which only seemed to annoy tall, muscled man.  
  
" ** _Listen to me!_** "  
  
You didn't, not caring that he was losing patience with you as you suddenly shot your knee up into him.  He quickly toppled over with a groan when you made a direct hit into his groin.  You smirked in triumph and even blew another raspberry at him before turning around and running the opposite direction,  hoping you were going the right way.  But you didn't get a chance to think as you were quickly tackled to the ground, making you screech in frustration.  
  
You were abruptly flipped onto your back, your eyes gazing up at the angry looking stranger above you.  The look in his orbs prompted you to quickly start pushing and smacking at his shoulders as panic taking over, squeezing your chest painfully and making you short of breath.  
  
"G-Get off me you-!!!"   
  
He scowled and grabbed your wrists once more, forcing them above your head as he glared down at you.  You tried to pull them free, but his large hands kept them firmly in place; you feared he would suddenly snap them like a twig if you dared to fight him any more.  "Just shut up for a minute and look at me!"  
  
You turned your head petulantly to look to your right, "No!!"  
  
Snarling, the man's eyes glowed a deep red as he took one of your hands and placed it on his chest, eliciting a gasp from your throat.    
  
"W-What are you doing!?!?!"  
  
He didn't answer, just stared you down with his glowing, ruby eyes as he forced your hand to slowly glide across his chest, his toned flesh making your own form heat up.  What the hell was this psycho doing?!  He was making you feel him up!!  You tried your best to fight off the perverted thoughts but all you could do was rub your legs together slightly as you felt more of this naked stranger's body.  
  
You hated yourself for even having perverted thoughts right now, but just touching him and him holding you was sending electricity through every nerve in your body and it wouldn't stop!!  
  
He felt so solid, your palm brushing down his shoulder and slowly over his peck where you felt the nub of his nipple slide between your fingers briefly as your hand went down, down, down, **down.**  You felt your face grow red hot, body stiff as it now slithered over his abdomen.    
  
1...2...3....Holy shit, he had a six pack.    
  
You mentally screamed and shut your eyes tight as the unknown man forced you to touch him and realized it went lower and lower and...  
  
Wait...  
  
Your orbs snapped open and studied the man's form, realizing it wasn't as smooth as you had thought it was.  The trail he had forced you to take was marred with a long, smooth mark, much like a wound made by a knife...or a sword...?  
  
You looked up, eyes wide as you stared into his face.  It was then that things really started to click together when you stared at the scar on his left eye.  
  
"B-But...How...?!"  
  
His face stayed blank as he studied your eyes, pulling your hand away from his body and onto his cheek; nuzzling into your palm with what looked like affection.    
  
"Zoro.  My name is Zoro..."


	7. Chapter 7

You gaped, eyes wide as the man named Zoro stared right back, giving you a strange look you couldn't even begin to describe.  He still held your hand, forcing your palm to stay still so he could rub his cheek against it.  Just like when Bushido would get annoyed when you stopped petting him, he would force his head into your hand and rub, as if he had been starving for attention.  
  
Your mind reeled and you managed to free your hand once you finally came out of your stupor.  He scowled when you pulled it away and started to smack your balled up fists into his chest.  
  
"Get off."  you hit him again and again.  "Get off!  Get off, NOW!!"  
  
Looking reluctant he moved off to the side, letting you sit up and move freely.  You quickly clutched your head, fearing your brain would explode if you tried to understand what was going on.  Zoro saw your distress and moved forward but you quickly held up a hand and stopped him.  
  
"Just...Just let me think."  
  
He stopped but didn't force anything, waiting patiently as you groaned and looked ready to pull out your hair.  You turned your gaze to him with a look of pure confusion.  
  
"So...Let me get this straight."  He waited for you to continue, but you only swallowed, almost afraid to really ask.  You've read enough fables, myths, and romance novels to be able to connect the dots, but you needed a 100% confirmation before becoming fully committed to this crazy bullshit.  
  
"You're really...Bushido?"  
  
A nod.  
  
"My dog!"  You shouted, as if he hadn't heard your question the first time.  "You're my dog, Bushido?!"  
  
"Yes," he replied with a scowl.  It was simple, you should have been able to get it.  
  
"But you're named Zoro...and you can turn into a human...?"  
  
Zoro gave you a look, one that screamed 'duh'.  
  
"So.....You're a...a _**werewolf?**_ "  
  
"Yes."  
  
Everything was silent and tense for a moment as you stared at one another until you started to hyperventilate.  Zoro could hear your heart start to pound like a drum in your chest and smell the fear suddenly coming off you like waves.  He watched as you quickly pulled your knees up to your chest and buried your face in them, rocking back and forth as you took everything in.    
  
First, a man attacks you and your dog and then you realize your dog is a naked werewolf and you jumped off the third floor and had a car thrown at you and holy shit this was too much!!  What else existed out there?!  Vampires?  Zombies?!!  Demons?!    
  
Then, a horrible thought struck you.  
  
Did you do anything embarrassing around Zoro when he was in dog form?  You quickly looked up and eyed the wolf, staring at him so intently that he was visibly uncomfortable.  
  
"What?!"  He snarled, ready for any attack you planned on him this time.  
  
You quickly thought back to all the time you spent with your beloved Bushido and tried to remember all you could.  Had you gotten undressed around him?  Did you sing embarrassing songs aloud or chew your food with your mouth open?!  Oh god...what...what if you had farted around him?  Because you were breaking some serious girl code if any guy knew girls actually farted.  
  
Zoro twitched, watching you slowly cover your mouth with your hand with a look of horror on your face.  He got up quickly and snarled, "Stop looking at me like that!!"  
  
You screeched in response when he stood, eyes bugging out when you remembered just how naked he was.  I mean, it was hard to forget, but it was dark and everything had been covered in shadows when he crouched down and now everything was as clear as day (or at least as the moon could show - which seemed to be quite a bit at the moment).  
  
"Put some pants on!!"  
  
The wolf looked startled for a moment for a second before snapping at you.  "I don't keep a pair of pants on me all-!"  He yipped comically when you smacked him with a stick you snatched from the ground, it still had most of it's bristles from the tree it had fallen from and it stung when it smacked against his skin.  
  
" **PUT.ON.SOME.PANTS!!!** "      
  
Zoro snatched the branch before you could continue to hit him and threw it into the trees then he turned to face you with a stone cold face.  "Stop playing around, we have to leave."  
  
You glared right back, refusing to let your gaze waver any where past his neck.  "I hope you mean you're taking me home."  
  
"No.  He knows where we live.  We have to relocate-!!"  He jumped in surprise when you attacked him again, having grabbed a new stick and hitting him in the same spot as last time.  "STOP IT!!!"  
  
"I am not abandoning my home because you can't play nice!!"  
  
Zoro grabbed your wrist this time, pulling the branch from your hand and keeping a firm hold on you as he stared you down.  "Hunters never _**play nice**_."  
  
You trembled, eyes suddenly brimming with tears which caused Zoro to jump back in shock.  He hadn't expected you to start crying!!!  You had been fighting tooth and nail like a stubborn mule and he had to admit he enjoyed it, but he wasn't sure he could handle you crying!  
  
"I wuh-want to g-goo hooOOoOOOooome!!"  You wailed, the weight of everything that had happened finally crushing your will to argue.  All the while, Zoro watched in horror as you sobbed and hiccuped like a child; the whole scene making him feel like some horrible villain.  
  
"We can't."  Zoro crouched next to you, hesitantly reaching forward with the intent to pat your head.  But he quickly pulled away when you wailed again at his response, an uncomfortable look crossing his face.  Shit, he had been alone for so long that he had forgotten how to comfort people.  He scratched the back of his head, trying to think of a good way to explain the situation you both were in.  Hunters meant business and this one didn't seem to care if you were killed in the process or not and he would be damned if you got hurt.  
  
He tried to think of a way to calm you down but he didn't need to, falling back onto his ass when you had launched yourself into his arms.  You buried your face into his chest and sobbed hard, just wanting someone to hold and comfort you.  All thoughts of this man and what he had brought to your doorstep were long gone, right now you needed someone warm and safe or you'd lose it right there.  Life had always been hard before you met the wolf but it seemed this was the straw that broke the camel's back and he was the only one around at the moment.  
  
Zoro frowned and wrapped his arms around your form, nuzzling his nose into your hair like he had done when you were frightened during the battle.  You seemed to respond well to this, sobs reduced to hiccups, so he continued.  He took in your scent and body, large hands rubbing gentle, soothing circles on your back while you curled up in his lap.  Zoro was starting to get the hang of it when he finally noticed you had fallen into an exhausted sleep, having lost so much energy dealing with all the madness from the past few hours.  
  
He sighed and looked up at the sky with a deep grimace, feeling just as exhausted.  "...shit."  
  
~  
  
"I told you we can't," Zoro sighed in exasperation, fingers gently curling in your hair as you laid on top of him.  He had settled down on the ground with you still in his arms the night before and had kept watch until you finally woke up an hour or so after the sun had come up.  You didn't really seem to mind your position, most likely because you had given up on fighting his weird need to touch you.  
  
You huffed, warm air brushing over the man's toned chest, the soft whisper of your breath almost making him shiver.  "I'm not going to live on the woods, Zoro.  You can't make me."  
  
The wolf snickered at your childish response.  " **Watch me.** "  
  
You looked up at him, chin resting on his body and glared.  "Why is that psycho after you anyways?!  Did you eat his sheep!?  Blow down his house?!  Or did you dress up in drag and pretend to be his grandma!?"  
  
Zoro smirked, glad you were back to your cheeky self.  "Hunters are hired to take down preternatural creatures.  Normally it's because we've killed a few humans or ticked off the wrong people.  It could have been another monster like me, not liking a lone wolf in their territory."  
  
You tensed slightly, not at all liking these explanations.  What had Zoro done?  Were you even safe with him?  Or was he just biding his time until he gobbled up little red riding hood?  
  
He looked at you, eyes glinting in amusement.  "It's most likely the latter."  
  
"Most likely?  I hope you don't mean you've done all those other things," You hissed, not at all amused.  You found yourself sliding down in his lap as he sat up; the man sighing as he continued to comb his hand through your hair.  
  
"Don't worry about it.  It's not important."  
  
"Not important-?!"  
  
"For now we need to find a place to stay," He kept on, ignoring you now.  "Since you refuse to camp out, we'll have to get what money we can and find a hotel somewhere."  
  
"Wait, you mean we can stay anywhere that's not my house then??"  You asked, eager to not be in the woods.  
  
He looked at you, eyebrow raised curiously.  "Yes...it can't be linked to us though, or else we'll just be found again."  
  
"But we can go back to my house right?"  
  
"I told you-"  
  
"We need to," You interrupted heatedly, glaring right back at the wolf as he looked down at you in irritation.  "I know a place we can stay, but we need to go back to my place and grab the key."  And a few necessities.  You were not going to wear dirty clothes for who knows how long.  
  
He looked ready to argue, but he knew you wouldn't budge and he sighed.  "Fine.  But we'll have to slip inside unseen, he'll probably be watching the place."  
  
You held up your fingers to give him the OK sign, big grin on your face.  "Got ya, boss.  Leave it all to me~!"  
  
~~  
  
Man, there were A LOT of police running around.  You shuffled about the crowd of gawkers as nonchalantly as you could, hearing people gossip about the incident and what could have caused all the damage.  You peered past a few people in front and froze.  
  
Shit, it looked a lot worse in daylight.  The parking lot was a wreck, police tape sealing everyone off from coming onto the crime scene.  You noted that they still hadn't managed to get the one car off the other while officers looked on in confusion at the neatly cut automobile just a few parking spots away.  Other cars were dented really bad too, one even had it's entire roof cut off - most likely from one of the attacks that hunter guy had sent your way.  
  
You looked around a bit worried before proceeding towards the apartments itself, thankful the stairs weren't sealed off as you slowly and leisurely made your way up the steps.  You even whistled all too innocently as you made it to the third floor.  Grinning when no one stopped you, you made your way to your apartment and sighed in relief when the door was open just a crack.  It must have been sheer luck that the police hadn't come up to check on everyone or else they would have noticed your place empty and trashed and connected the dots.  What was even better was that the police presence had kept away any would be thieves who had any funny ideas about stealing from your unlocked home.  
  
You stepped inside and softly closed the door, flinching at the sight of your home.  Your table was done for and you were sure you could see water soaking the hallway carpet.  You hoped it hadn't soaked to the apartment below as you started to scurry around and pack whatever you could.  You had convinced Zoro to stay hidden while you volunteered for this task.  I mean, everyone would notice a naked man walking around anyways.  
  
You packed clothes and important items like a toothbrush and shampoo, mentally checking off things you needed for this little trip.  You quickly went to your closet and grabbed the biggest sweatshirt you owned and grinned when you found a hoodie you usually wore to bed when it was cold.  It was a plain black pull over with white text written on it.  
  


**NO. You're wrong.**

**So just sit there**

**in your wrongness**

**and be wrong.**

Snickering, you folded up the hoodie, picturing Zoro wearing it.  He would certainly be cute.  You wished you could give him a pair of pants though, it was awkward enough he was naked.  The next stop will definitely have to be a Walmart or whatever to pick up a pair of jeans.

You blinked in shock, realizing you'd been thinking like this was all normal and you weren't about to go on the run because your dog turned out to be a creature you hadn't thought real.  You should have been hiding in the closet and cursing the world instead of picturing how cute Zoro would look in an outfit.  You stuffed the hoodie into your duffle with a scowl and zipped it up.  You were seething, but oddly enough, not because Zoro was what he was and the trouble he had brought.  You weren't sure what you should be mad at really...it's not like he could help being what he is.  Not to mention he was under your care and as a responsible pet owner, one must take care of their dumb animals.

Plus, you'd grown attached to the bastard.  First, when he was a dog...and maybe even when he was human.  I mean, he's still the same Bushido.

"One day at a time," you murmured.  You found your keys on your nightstand and checked to make sure they were all there on the ring.  With that you turned to leave only to freeze when you finally noticed the tall man with golden eyes standing in your bedroom doorway.

Shit.

Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit.

You clutched your duffle and gulped.  "G-Get out of my h-h-house!"

The man stepped into the room, making you squeak and quickly bend down and grab your handy baseball bat from under the bed.  "I'm warning you!"

He stopped and held up his hands, as if that was going to calm you down.  "I am only here to talk."

You snapped, "Talk!?  You threw a car at me!!!"

"I apologize."  He didn't look the least bit sorry.  "But I must speak with you."

You held up your weapon and glared, "Get out!  I don't want to hear anything you have to say!"

"That wolf that was in your home."  The man went on, stepping forward once more.  "Where is he?"

"Up yours!" 

"You don't realize how dangerous he is," the man went on, stepping forward once more, now only a few feet from you.  

You laughed scornfully at him.  "You're one to talk."

He stared at you for a moment, eyes making you shiver as if he were reading your thoughts.  "If you will not tell me, then I will leave.  But I also came to warn you that he is not some pup who will play innocently with you.  He is a **wolf**."

His emphasis on the word made you a bit uncomfortable, but you were unsure why.

"Wolves do not play nice.  They are pack creatures who are aggressive and fight for dominance.  Challenge them and they will sooner rip your throat out in response."  He watched as you paled before continuing.  "Lone wolves are more dangerous.  They are social creatures.  If one does not belong in a pack then there is something wrong with them - mentally and physically."

A feeling of indignation rose in you, wishing to shout the man down for daring to say your Bushido had something wrong with him.  But he was stepping closer now and you felt like your voice was on mute.

"He may be nice now or even affectionate."  He was now right in front of you, ignoring the bat that separated your bodies.  "But one tiny mistake in his eyes could lead to your death.  Something as small as breathing wrong can make a lone wolf run mad.  They are also more likely to commit suicide and take many others with them.  They believe in many things that do no make sense and do not survive long - pack magic keeps them sane.  But he has been alone for too long, he is too dangerous to continue to live."

He bent down, staring you right in the face with all seriousness.  "I will not stop following him until he is dead.  Even if you die with him, I will slay him."

You were trembling, realizing how strong this man's presence was, much like a rabbit encountering a lion.  You wished he would just shut up, you didn't want to hear any of this.  Not about the man you had woken up to with his hands petting your hair with gentle fingers.  You were sure such hands couldn't kill.  Right?

The golden eyed stranger stared right at you, quickly making you doubt all the things you had thought about Zoro.  Seeing the uncertainty in your eyes must have been enough for him though because he stood tall once more and turned to leave, saying one last thing before he left the apartment completely.

"I will not stop you from going to him.  But know that your choice here will change your life."

Then he left as quietly as he came.  And then you remembered to breathe.

You slumped on your bed and held your bat tightly.  You felt unsure what to do now.  Surely, Zoro would never hurt you?  He had been nothing but kind....but would that last long?  Were lone wolves really that messed up?

Just what the hell were you going to do?


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧

Yes, this was the right thing to do.  You smirked, so impressed with yourself.  Obviously, curling up into a ball under the blankets was the best decision you ever made.  Nothing could get you out of here.  Just like when you were young, the covers were an impenetrable shield from the monsters.  
  
 _'I'll just live like this from now on,'_ you thought in triumph.  You could order pizza or whatever else delivered everyday and just lay in bed and watch Netflix and browse forums until you grew old and feeble.  Heck!  You could even do online schooling!  You were an adult, ready to live your life as a scared child.  
  
"Oh my god, this is so sad."  
  
Before you could fall into a deep depression you heard your cellphone ring loudly, making you search around with a frown when you noticed it was nowhere in your room.  You looked into the hallway and pouted, not wanting to leave your safe haven that was your bed.  But it could be important...  
  
Wrapping the blankets around your shoulders and head like a cocoon, you shuffled out of your room, muttering in annoyance under your breath.  This continued until you found out where the ringing was coming from...under the couch.  
  
Ugh, it must have fallen down under there sometime during the fight or whatever.  Not like you cared at this point.  You crouched and felt under the sofa, blindly grabbing at anything hard until you felt the cell case and something else laying on top of it.  Pulling both out, you realized that it was the red collar you had originally bought for Bushido.  You stared at it, figuring Zoro must have wiggled out of it at some point.  You briefly remembered having to chase him around the apartment and somehow got it on his neck despite his growls and not so nice snapping.  
  
Your cell rang again, it's shrill alert pulling you out of your memory.  You found yourself smiling as you answered the call, not even bothering to look to see who it was.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"__________!  Where the hell are you?!!"  
  
You blinked and quickly placed the voice as one of your coworker's, the one you usually gossiped and ate lunch with.  You know that girl.  Yeah, that girl.  
  
"Um, home?"  
  
She hissed in your ear, sounds of rustling plastic bags and checkout lanes in the background.  "You shift started an hour ago!!!"  
  
GAH!  You smacked your forehead a few times, hating your brain for forgetting that you had to work today.  
  
...  
  
Your exam!!  Oh _fffffffffff-!_  You were so going to fail that class.  
  
"I'm so sorry, I've been preoccupied and it's been kind of stressful-"  
  
"Stressful?   **STRESSFUL?!!** "  She screeched loudly, the noise forcing you to hold the phone far from your ear.  You listened to her rant, feeling extremely guilty for bailing on work.  
  
"It's December!!  You know how crazy this place gets during christmas season!!  We don't have enough people to open all the registers, everyone is pushing, shouting, and just plain rude!!  I'm pretty sure some guy just got a new TV by complaining to the manager about his last purchase!!  Do you wanna know what it was, _________?"  
  
"Uh....sure?"  
  
"A sink."  
  
You felt very confused now.  
  
"He complained about a damn, leaky sink and weaseled his way into getting a new TV!!!"  
  
You rubbed your eyes with a sigh, thinking of your manager who was a complete pushover and wondered how that scene had gone.  
  
"Look, I'm sorry.  Things have been happening at home and I just forgot."  
  
At this omission, you looked at the collar in your hand and frowned.  You turned it over a few times, thumb brushing over the dog tag and listened to it jingle.  
  


**_Bushido_ **

  
"Whatever it is, get over it!!"  She sounded on the verge of tears despite the angry response.  "Just get here already!!  The lunch crowd is going to be here soon!!  You know how much I hate that crowd!!"

 

**_If lost, please return to __(f/n)__  __(l/n)__._ **

**_He's a mess without his owner!_   
_(XXX) 555-XXXX_ **

  
"I mean, it's full of old people!!"  She shrieked, sounding on the verge of a breakdown.  "They always count out exact change and gripe about card readers then complain when someone in front of them takes too long when they do it a million times worse!!"

 

_"I will not stop you from going to him.  But know that your choice here will change your life."_

  
"________??  _________?!?!!!  Are you listening to me!?!"  
  
"Sorry, girl.  But I'm going to be using all of my vacation and unpaid time for the foreseeable future."  
  
"WHAT?!  No!!  Don't you dare do this to me!!"  She cried out dramatically.  
  
"I'm sure you'll be fine~."  You grinned, going to hang up.  
  
"You'll never get away with this!!  I shall have my revenge-!!!"  
  
You laughed, knowing she would forgive you eventually.  You were sure she was cursing you to oblivion at the moment, but buy her a big lunch and she was putty in your hands.  You texted your pushover of a manager about your absence and use of time and grinned when they approved.  They may not be good with customers but the pros of letting their employees get away with such things was great.   
  
It was too bad that you won't get to go out of the country like you had planned once you graduated, but you were sure you could save up the time and money again.  
  
Besides, your dumb dog was worth it.  
  
Your blanket cocoon fell from your body as you grinned, feeling less fearful and unsure and more happy and positive.  This was a better idea then hiding in your room for the rest of your life!  You quickly went back to your room and snatched up your duffle, then your baseball bat just in case goldy-eyed decided to come after you.  
  
"I'm adulting so hard right now,"  You grinned and locked your apartment door behind you.  You mentally cheered yourself on as you ran towards the stairs to leave only to turn back around a few seconds later to go to Jinbei's apartment.  
  
You went inside as an idea struck you.  Jinbei was a big guy!  Surely he had something Zoro could wear until you bought him some pants.  You were sure your neighbor wouldn't mind.  You'd leave him a note about returning what you grab and leave out the part on why you were even borrowing it.  After only a few minutes you came back out with a green yukata styled robe and grinned.  This would be perfect for now.  
  
You locked his door and pushed the key under the entrance, effectively returning his key.  
  
"See you later, Jinbei."  
  
Hopefully.  
  
And with that, you proceeded to leave, unaware of what the future had in store for you.  
  
~~  
  
You came back a few minutes later, pushing your fingers under the door like a cat wanting into it's owner's bathroom.  You did this frantically for a while before getting the key back and running inside.  
  
You had to at least feed the poor man's fish.  
  
~~  
  
Zoro scowled, arms crossed as he watched you pull up to the meeting spot with your vehicle.  You even honked your horn at him.  He waited until you stepped out of the old, gold Sable before scolding you.  
  
"We can't take your car.  He could track us through the plates-"  
  
You huffed, "We need a car where we're going.  It's a good two hours away and I am NOT walking!  And bus tickets trace more then license plates."  
  
He looked ready to argue some more but you threw the green robe at him, the wolf catching it in confusion.  "What...?"  
  
"Put that on."  You said, having been good on your rule of not straying your eyes past his neck.  
  
....  
  
Okay, you may have strayed to his shoulders a bit.  I mean, they were so... _big_.  
  
"We're going to get you some clothes," You continued, cheeks slightly flushed.  "I rather not be pulled over because of indecent exposure."  
  
Zoro made a face but slipped on the robe, fixing the gold buttons near the bottom before the large robe could fully fall off.  The wolf-man then tied the thick red sash around his waist and studied himself, looking a bit uncomfortable at how proper he looked.  He then decided to open up the front a bit more....well, a lot more.  His chest and scar were now fully exposed.  He nodded to himself and you almost wished you'd stolen more of Jinbei's clothes just so you could see the man model more of the Japanese style outfits.  
  
Damn, he was fucking fire~.  
  
"Let's do it quickly.  The longer we stay in the city the more likely we'll be caught again."  
  
"R-Right," You muttered, staring at him while biting your lower lip.  You had avoided looking at him when he was naked, but now that he wore clothes, you could finally take him all in without freaking out.  He filled out the clothing nicely despite it being a bit too big, but it worked.  Your eyes were now straying over his chest, fingers itching to touch that scar once more - to make sure it was healed right, of course.  Then maybe you could slip your hands further down his robes, sliding under his sash slowly while he placed his hands on your hips and watched you with that intense gaze.  
  
He frowned at your staring and crossed his arms.    
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
You quickly realized how much of a pervert you were being and pulled your shirt collar up to cover your mouth in embarrassment as your whole face grew flushed.  "N-Nothing!!!  Let's go already!!"  
  
You ran to the car and got in, refusing to stare at the man again.  It would only lead to more hot-blooded thoughts that you shouldn't be having.  This situation was already crazy, no need to make it awkward by asking if he could let you sit in his lap again.  
  
And slowly wiggle your hips as you placed your hands on his broad shoulders, lower half grinding-  
  
Zoro shut his door, the sound pulling you out of another wet dream.  
  
"Where exactly is this place you mentioned?"  He asked with a yawn, adjusting the seat to lean back a bit.    
  
"I-It's b-basically a summer home.  Nothing fancy."  You turned on the car, slowly gaining control of your emotions.  When you felt normal again, you put the car in drive and pulled away from the woods, not once regretting convincing the wolf to forget the camping idea.  
  
He hummed in response, crossing his arms and closing his eyes.    
  
Zoro didn't really say anything the whole ride to the store, not even looking remotely worried about some sword wielding out to kill him.  
  
You wanted what he was smoking because you felt like you'd lose all your hair by the end of this.  
  
~~  
  
"Alright, let's get in and out."  You said while grabbing a cart and heading towards the grocery part, knowing the house you were heading to was going to be bare boned.  You snatched snacks as you went, talking to Zoro who followed you leisurely.  Some of the other shoppers watched him curiously but didn't ask about the outfit as they went on with their business, this was Walmart after all, people have worn stranger things.  
  
It didn't take long to have a cart full of stuff when you decided it was time to get your wolf some proper clothes.  As much as you loved him looking all Japanese and hot, he stood out too much for your liking.  No doubt people would remember you two if asked so he needed to blend in more.  
  
Plus, some of the ladies were eyeballing him and that seemed to make you want to arch like some cat and hiss them away.  
  
You stopped at a rack of jeans that were on sale and started to go through them, continuing to talk on despite Zoro never responding back.  "So, once this is done we'll head straight there and hide out, right?  I can only be off work for so long, I only have three and a half weeks at work.  Hey, what size are you?"  
  
You turned to hear his response only to realize he wasn't there.  Or anywhere in sight.  You quickly freaked out, waving your arms and calling out his name.   
  
"Zoro Zoro Zoro Zoro Zorooooooo!"  A kid in the shoe aisle started to cry but you ignored him, continuing to look around and wondering if you should have the store managers use the sound system to call out for him like he was a missing child.  It took fifteen minutes to find him though, in the jewelry department, sitting in a metal chair while the make-up ladies ogled him.  
  
"Zoro!!  I thought I lost you!"  You cried out, pushing a few of the women aside who gave you annoyed glances.  
  
He grunted and glared at you, "I was following you then you suddenly disappeared."  
  
You frowned, knowing  you had only gone down three aisles and to the left to the clothing department.  It's not like you went into any alleyways or through a secret door.  "Well, anyways, let's go back to the cart-"  
  
His left ear glinted and you looked at it, eyes quickly widening when you saw the long gold trinkets.  "You got your ear pierced?!"  
  
He shrugged, "I thought you were lost so I waited here for you."  
  
"How...How does **YOU** being lost make you want to get earrings?!"  You didn't even know that Walmart did piercings!!    
  
Zoro grunted, already looking bored with the conversation as he stood, his height over the other women making him really stand out.  "We're taking too long."  
  
You seethed, thinking he was one to talk about wasting time.  Taking a calming breath, you snatched Zoro's hand and dragged him away from the disappointed women and back towards the shopping cart.  He seemed to keep glancing down at your hand questioningly as you kept your hold on it, even pushing around the cart with just one arm with mad skills.  
  
You finally noticed his questioning gaze before glaring at him with pink dusted cheeks.  "It's so you don't get lost, you idiot."  
  
He growled in response but didn't even try to pull his hand away, even rubbing his thumb over the top of yours occasionally.  It felt so much bigger then your own and warm, so very warm.  No wonder couples liked to do this, it was nice.  
  
Then you briefly wondered if this meant you two were a couple.  You tried to figure it out, but were interrupted when Zoro started to drift down another aisle and you had to drag him back.  
  
Owning a dog was too much trouble sometimes.


	9. Chapter 9

"Don't do that in the car!!"  You screeched, steering wheel swerving as you tried to keep your eyes on the highway, a few cars honked angrily at your erratic driving and you promptly flipped them off.  
  
"You're the one who told me to change!"  Zoro snarled back, most of his yukata halfway off and exposing firm, tanned muscles.  
  
"I said you're going to change at the gas station!!"  
  
"If I change now I won't have to use the gas station!"    
  
He then proceeded to slip off his clothes and you blushed a million times over.  
  
"GAH!!"  You pulled the collar of your shirt up and over your nose and mouth, looking like you were trying to avoid smelling something awful; but you were really just trying to hide your red face.  "Stop being naked!!"  
  
Zoro proceeded to ignore you, stripping off the outfit without a care.  You made sure to keep your eyes on the road, cheeks flaring and fingers practically white from the hard grip on the wheel.  The wolf grunted as he threw the green outfit in the backseat, now buck nude and not seeming to care one bit.  You weren't sure if you were happy or disgusted his bare ass was touching your car seat but chose not to voice your concern.  
  
You chanced a peek, feeling a bit childish now.  You've seen him naked a lot lately, it's not like you were some teen boy discovering porn for the first time.  Eyes slowly glancing over, you started at his forearm, watching them bulge slightly at each movement he made.  You already had seen his tempting shoulders so you decided to move downward, studying his large hands as they worked on unfolding the dark jeans.  They looked like they were fine tuned to handle all sort of tasks; touching, rubbing, gripping, tweaking...your whole body tensed as a heat formed into your stomach.  You didn't think you could handle looking at anymore of him, you were only mooning over his hands and already a hot mess.  He was so...so...!  
  
A loud car horn interrupted your peeping and you realized you were drifting into the fast lane and promptly swerved over, eyes wide in fright while Zoro looked unperturbed as always despite the near wreck you almost got the both of you in.  He worked on slipping on the jeans, not even looking for the boxers you forced him to pick out.  To get them all the way on, he lifted his waist into the air, his large naked form rising high as he worked to put the pants on...  
  
And was in full view of the passenger side window as a car full of kids on the way to some sports tournament passed.  Each one stared wide eyed as they got a viewful of something they were too young to understand.  
  
You gave them pitying glances as the car sped up and Zoro finally pulled his pants all the way up and buttoned them.  He then crossed his arms and sat in silence, staring at the road after unknowingly flashing some poor pedestrians.   
  
"Well?"  You frowned, looking at him.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Are you going to put on a shirt?"  
  
His upper lip curled, top fang noticeable in his mouth.  "Why?"  
  
You resisted the urge to slam your head on the dash.    
  
"Just put on a damn shirt!"  You twitched and reached down in the passenger flooboard, grabbing the first top you could find and holding it out to the wolf who looked at it with slight distaste.  But he put it on, just so you wouldn't keep yelling at him and crossed his arms, looking a little like a child who wasn't getting his treat.  
  
You weren't able to take his pouting seriously, it was actually kind of cute.  You'd have to make it up to him.  The shirt looked good at least; only he could make floral print look fly.  
  
Honestly, you were a little jealous.  
  
~~  
  
You hopped out of the car and listened, grinning at the quick stop's choice of radio station before swiping your card at the pump.  You turned to Zoro who had also stepped out to stretch a bit, holding out the piece of plastic.  "Here."  
  
He blinked and took the debit card questioningly, making you grin.  "Go get some snacks and drinks, we still have an hour to go."  
  
Zoro slowly smirked, making you a bit wary of your decision to let you use his card.  You were sure he wouldn't clean out your bank account - it was a gas station after all.  You turned back to watch the pump as it filled up your tank, humming along with _We Will Rock You_  as it blared over the speakers.  
  
~~  
  
The wolf stepped inside the gas station, gold earrings gently moving as he looked around.  It was like every other gas station, three or four aisles full of junk food, warm drinks, and the weird items like notebooks and dog food.  He sneered at one of the large bags, having had to eat some it when he had been posing as a mutt.  Zoro huffed and walked forward, looking around and spotting the fridges in the back that held the cold items, striding past the counter where a old woman was doing her sudoku puzzle; fingers shaking as she wrote down a number.  
  
Zoro immediately spotted what he wanted and smirked, opening up the door and pulling out a few cases of alcohol and making sure to get different kinds to try out.  He had about four cases before he deemed it was enough for a weekend then made his way up to the counter.  The man stopped when he realized you might want something and halted in front of the soda selection.  
  
What did you like?  
  
He frowned.  Diet coke?  Girls like diet stuff right?  Or maybe you liked juice?  Coffee?  
  
"Oi!!  Who took the last _Sam Adams_?!"  
  
Maybe you wanted a slushie instead?  But then he'd have to pick a flavor and he wasn't sure which one you preferred...  
  
"Hey, you!"  
  
Zoro stared harder at the rows of drinks, growing frustrated when he couldn't remember what you drank back at the apartment.  Honestly, he hadn't paid attention because most the time you were petting his head and he kind of dazed out as soon as you touched his ears.  
  
A burly man was suddenly on his right while a skinny guy on his left, looking pissed.  He continued to ignore them, face blank as he concentrated on the bottles.  
  
"Hey buddy, we've had a long day.  If you don't mind giving us that case-"  
  
"We've been on the road for two days straight!"  The burly one snarled, looking a bit sleep deprived.  
  
"Eddie, I got this.  No need to shout."  The skinny one said in a calming voice, looking exhausted as well.  
  
"He's got three cases and the last _Sam Adams_!!  He doesn't need all that beer!"  
  
The skinny one held up his hands, giving his friend a light grin before placing his arm over Zoro's shoulders, trying to appear friendly.  "Look man.  We still have another day on the road-"  
  
Zoro looked at the man from the corner of his eyes, giving the man a deadpan expression as he talked about having a hard life as some kind of trucker and needing a few drinks with his buddy.  It was boring.  He blathered on while the burly one heaved like a bull, obviously a bit too desperate for a drink.  Normally Zoro wouldn't bother acknowledging such people, but their smell made his nose itch and their close proximity made him...edgy.  
  
And they wanted his alcohol.    
  
"No." He interrupted the man's ongoing story, making him blink in surprise.  
  
"W-What?"  
  
"No."  The wolf repeated, shrugging the lanky man's arm off his shoulders.  He opened the fridge door and grabbed a handful of sodas, figuring if he got you a selection you would be happy enough.  
  
"Just give us the case," The burly one, Eddie, snarled.  It probably would have been intimidating if _We Will Rock You_  hadn't stopped playing and started straight into _We Are the Champions.  
  
_ Zoro brushed past the two, heading for the counter without even glancing back at them.  This seemed to enrage the larger one, having lost patience and jumped at him.  
  
 _I've paid my dues...  
Time after time.  
I've done my sentence  
_ _But committed no crime_  
  
The wolf dodged easily, looking back at the large male with narrowed eyes.  Eddie didn't seem afraid, just tried to jump at Zoro again, hands reaching for the case of beer.  Zoro avoided him with ease, but grew irked when he kept trying to swipe one of his cases of liquor.  He hadn't planned on doing anything until the burly man knocked aside a few of the sodas he had grabbed for you and then he felt rage swell up inside his chest.  
 _  
_ _And bad mistakes  
I've made a few~  
I've had my share of sand  
_ _Kicked in my face_  
  
Zoro brought up his foot and slammed it **hard** into the man's head, watching his eyes grow wide in surprise as he flew back into the aisle with such a force that it broke a display of car accessories.  Eddie already looked down for the count, eyes rolled in the back of his head and a trickle of red slowly dripping down his face.  Smirking in satisfaction as the man groaned, the wolf felt a great satisfaction at seeing the man broken and possibly needing to go to the ER.  
  
"E-Eddie!!"  
  


_But I've come through_

  
_And we mean to go on and on and on and on  
We are the champions - my friends  
And we'll keep on fighting  
_  
Zoro bent down and grabbed the bottles he dropped, frown on his face as he hoped you didn't care if they fizzed up when you opened them.  Then he easily moved to the side as the lanky one suddenly threw a punch, angry that his friend had been knocked down so brutally.  Zoro watched as the man tried to land his clumsy fists on him, not even coming close to striking a hair on the werewolf's head.  
 __  
Till the end  
We are the champions  
We are the champions  
No time for losers  
'Cause we are the champions of the World

It was kind of sad, really.  The man swung and swung as Zoro continued to step backwards with the cases and bottles in his arms, watching as the lanky male knocked over displays and snacks in his attempts to punch him.  It wasn't fun at all.  And he wasn't sure he would find satisfaction in bringing this one down like he had the burly one.  
 _  
I've taken my bows  
And my curtain calls_

Zoro decided enough was enough and swung his leg around and hit the trucker hard in the stomach, a sickening crunch meeting his ears as he knocked the wind out of him that forced him to collapse into a heap.  He looked down at the stranger with a disinterested frown then made his way to the counter once more, noting the old woman was still focused on her puzzle, no doubt a bit deaf since she hadn't responded to the fight.  He placed the items on the counter and paid, not looking back at the two who didn't even try to stand, looking a bit more broken then when they had arrived.

~~

" _And we mean to go on and on and on and on_ ," You hummed aloud, hands gently tapping on the steering wheel as you waited for Zoro.  You turned when the passenger door opened and the male placed the items in the back seat before getting in.  "Hey, what'd you get?"

Zoro placed a plastic bag full of different kinds of soda in your lap, crossing his arms and closing his eyes as he awaited your verdict.

You stared at the selection, wondering why he had grabbed so many when just a water would do.  But when you looked at him, you realized he was waiting for some kind of confirmation that he did good.  You grinned, finding it cute that he needed a compliment like a dog would when they brought the paper or caught a ball.  But you knew Zoro was more than just some dog, despite his canine-like tendencies and just thinking that made a bit of affection swell up inside you.

"Thank you, Zoro~."

He didn't reply, just pushed his seat back and kept his eyes closed.  Though he looked like he was ready for another of his long naps, his chest was puffed up a little in pleasure at doing a good job.

You leaned against the wheel of the car and beamed, thinking he was the cutest dork in the world.

~~~

The rest of the drive went pretty smoothly, Zoro napped while you played soft music, pulling off the highway and spending another half hour going through the country and over large hills.  There were fewer and fewer houses and dozens upon dozens of trees the further you went into the countryside.  You finally pulled off onto a side road that changed from pavement to gravel, forcing you to go a bit slower since the road was uneven and continuing downwards.  You passed a tiny handful of houses that looked like picturesque log cabins, with gardens and large garages for boats, many trees surrounding them and giving them a fantasy feel.  The houses stopped appearing on the side of the road for just a little bit until you reached the end of the road and pulled into a driveway that held a plain little house that could best be described as a giant chicken coop.

Zoro opened his eyes to study the little home then looked at you questioningly, having seen a few of the summer places you had passed.

"This is my grandma's cabin...well, now my dad's.  It was built a long time ago, before all these other homes were here."  You grinned, "If you go out behind the house and down some stairs, there's a lake.  It's mostly why there's so many homes here now - kind of a hot spot during the summer."

Luckily it was the winter so the chances of seeing anyone around was zero.

"What about your dad?"  Zoro frowned, studying the forest around the home.

"Oh, he's traveling around the country.  He won't be back until next fall."  You grinned and got out of the car, stretching and sighing happily.  You had always visited this place when you were a kid after your parents divorce, it had always been relaxing here.  Still is.

Zoro stepped out of the car and placed an arm on the hood of the car, looking at you with an even deeper frown.  "I told you we need to hide in a place that won't be traced back to us."

You blinked, "Don't worry.  The deed is still under my grandma's maiden name, Dad is just waiting until the lawyers finish looking over her will which should take a while."

This seemed to satisfy the wolf, nodding and reaching into the back of the car to grab his alcohol, placing each case on the hood of the car.  You grinned, "Got enough there, big guy?"

He grunted, "Enough for a few days."

"You better make it last," You said with a knowing smirk.  He looked at you curiously before you continued.  "This is a dry county.  You have to drive a good forty-five minutes to get more liquor."

" _ **WHAT?!!**_ "

~~~

You finally finished putting away the groceries you had brought with you and sighed, hands on your hips as looked around the cabin and took in every detail and finding nothing had changed since the last time you visited.

The whole house was a large square and when one stepped inside they were immediately in the kitchen and living room.  The kitchen cabinets were against the wall next to the door,  old rustic white and in sore need of an upgrade.  The oven was still the same gas lit model and you were sure you would have to fiddle around it a bit to get it to work.  By the cabinets was the dining room table that seated four and just a few steps away was the brown and red couch, coffee table, navy recliner and old projector TV.  You were surprised it was still working to this day, considering your dad had bought it in the late eighties.

On the far right wall was an old wood fire place with a very, _very_  large painting of John Wayne as a cowboy over it.  You wondered if your father would ever get rid of the old thing, but knew he wouldn't change too much of what your grandmother had decorated; which was a shame because the window drapes were now yellow instead of the pristine frilled white they had been.  

The left part of the house had the fridge and tiny cabinet for dry food against the wall, along with an armoire that had all the good china that no one would ever touch.  The ceiling, instead of being flat, angled up until it met at a high point; making the area feel much larger then it actually was.  It also gave room to hang more things on the wall because high up above the fridge and little hallway that led to the bedrooms was a deer head with giant antlers and two big fish trophies on either side of it.  That had been your grandpa's doing and you had hoped they had been thrown out after all these years, no doubt full of spiders and other gross things you rather not think about.

Down the hallway were two bedrooms, one that held a single queen sized bed, dresser, and sliding door closet while the other was a bit bigger, holding two beds and two dressers.  Also down the hall was the only bathroom, with a bathtub that was so old that there was no shower option, a toilet whose handle had to be jiggled a bit to flush right, and a sink that dripped.

You loved it though.  It was so...country~!

"Do you want a tour?"  You grinned at Zoro who was staring at the John Wayne painting.  

He shrugged and you rolled your eyes at him, grabbing his hand and dragging him past the couches to the other side of the large room.  The whole house only had four rooms, so he could look at those on his own time.  But you were going to show him something magical!  Next to the old tv was another door, opening it and showing the wolf the white deck that overlooked a bit of forest and even the lake itself.  You could see the lake better this time of year because all the leaves have fallen and though it wasn't as pretty as it was in the summer, it was still a great view.

The sun shined on the large body of water, it's peaceful waters ebbing against the banks and docks that were set up.  Far across the other side were large hills that no doubted held more cabins for when vacationers decided to visit.  It wasn't even the whole lake, the water only a long stretch that went both ways and around bends.  One end led towards the large park, manmade beach, and camp grounds while the other end went towards the dam a few miles down.

"Isn't it great?  It's almost like a vacation instead of hiding for our lives."  You laughed, still gripping his hand as you looked out towards the lake.

Zoro studied you, watching as you took in the air and practically sparkled at being in this place.  It was obvious you loved it very much here.  He tilted his head slightly, enjoying the smile that lit up your face and the way your small hand gripped his own.  He liked it when you were happy.

"_________."

You looked at him, finally noticing his intense gaze.  You blushed a little, but tried to play it cool.  "W-What?"

The wolf was silent for a few moments, still observing you even as you fidgeted under his stare.  He inhaled and gave your hand a squeeze, eyes suddenly fierce and protective as he leaned towards you and touched his forehead against yours; warm breath fanning across your face.

"I'll always keep you safe."

It was the first time in your life that your heart wanted to burst from your chest.


	10. Chapter 10

_"_________."  
  
You looked at him, finally noticing his intense gaze.  You blushed a little, but tried to play it cool.  "W-What?"  
  
The wolf was silent for a few moments, still observing you even as you fidgeted under his stare.  He inhaled and gave your hand a squeeze, eyes suddenly fierce and protective as he leaned towards you and touched his forehead against yours; warm breath fanning across your face.  
  
"I'll always keep you safe."  
  
_ _"I'll always keep you safe."  
  
_ _ **"I'll always keep you safe."  
  
**_ _"I'll always keep you safe."_ _"I'll always keep you safe."_ _"I'll always keep you safe."_ _"I'll always keep you safe."_ _"I'll always keep you safe."_ _"I'll always keep you safe."_ _"I'll always keep you safe."_ _"I'll always keep you safe."_ _"I'll always keep you safe."_ _"I'll always keep you safe."_ _"I'll always keep you safe."_ _"I'll always keep you safe."  
  
_ You slammed the knife down on the piece of meat, eye twitching as you attempted to cut up the beef to make burgers.   You slammed it down again, watching the chunks turn into misshapen squares.  
  
Personally, you thought you were doing a marvelous job.  
  
 _"I'll always keep you safe."  
  
_ You dropped the sharp object on the cutting board and tugged at your cheeks, feeling like that weird alien from the star wars movie.  
  
 _"I'll always keep you safe."_ _"I'll always keep you safe."_ _"I'll always keep you safe."  
  
_ "GAH!!"  You tugged harder, face completely red as you attempted to erase the memory from your mind.  
  
I mean, how dare he?  HOW DARE HE?!!  How dare he say something so fucking romantic and expect you to act normal!?!  He's your dog!!  Not your...your-!!!!  
 _...boyfriend._  
  
You fought hard to keep from screeching like a pterodactyl, knowing this was just ridiculous.  Pulling your hands away from your cheeks you grinned, nodding to yourself as you tried to make sense of all this.  Okay, okay.  Deep breath.  Zoro is Bushido, who you technically, legally own.  So he was your dog and in no way your boyfriend...ugh, that sounded horrible, you were a horrible person and you had a paper basically saying you owned a grown man!  
  
A man who was waving his hand in front of your face.  You snapped out of your internal drama and realized you had been staring at the ground meat with dazed eyes.  
  
"You okay?"  
  
"What?  Me?!  I'M DANDY!"  
  
Zoro raised an eyebrow but didn't question it, figuring you were having another weird moment.  "Are you almost done destroying the food?"  
  
You snatched up the knife and glared, hoping having a weapon would make the wolf give you some space because he was TOO CLOSE!!! "My beef is so cut up that any gang would want me!"  
  
Zoro looked unconcerned at the knife, grabbing your wrist and firmly taking it from you.  But you weren't paying attention because **HE WAS HOLDING YOUR HANDDDDDDD!!!**  Reacting quickly you swung up your free limb and palmed at Zoro's chin and forcing his head back, eyes wide as you tried to push him away but he kept his hold on your wrist.  "Step off!!"  
  
"What the hell is wrong with you!?!"  Zoro grunted, trying to look down at you.  
  
"You're popping my bubble!!!"  
  
Zoro was finding the whole thing ridiculous and grabbed your other wrist, but you were already in attack mode.  Without thinking you latched your teeth onto Zoro's hand making him fall back in surprise, but he didn't let go as you gnawed on his wrist.  It didn't really hurt, he's had worse, but watching you try and bite attack him made him want to fight back.  Carefully of course.  
  
You found yourself yelping when Zoro easily flipped you over and had you pinned, smirking down at you for easily taking you out.  Your body wiggled and thrashed but he just kept his weight on you, legs straddling your own while he kept your wrists pinned over your head and OH MY GOD THIS WAS LIKE A FUCKING ROMANCE NOVEL AND **NOT HELPING!!!  
**  
"Get off!  Get off, you slug!!"  
  
He raised an eyebrow before laying himself completely on you, your face now smushed against his chest.  It was then that you noticed he had unbuttoned the floral shirt a bit to where his chest was showing and now you were taking in his scent and could feel his strong torso against your face; if you just turned your head slightly you could totally rub your cheek against it.  
  
Stop!!  Bad!!   ** _BAD!!_**  
  
"Get offfffffff!"  You whined, feeling weak in the knees as he laid on top of you.  
  
"Slugs lay where they wish."  Zoro grinned, now holding down both your wrists with one hand while he used his free one to play with your hair.  You only whined again, puffing up your cheeks as you felt his fingers run through your tresses and gently massage your scalp.  
  
Oh...that was very nice.  You practically melted as he continued this, as if the ass knew exactly what to do to calm you down.  Zoro did this for what felt like forever, shifting his body to be a bit more comfortable and to put less weight on your own.  You didn't really mind, just laid there and enjoyed the attention while he stared down at you with an unreadable expression.   
  
"Are you going to play nice?"  Zoro asked in a sarcastic tone.  You probably would have responded back just as sarcastically but feeling his hand pet you made you mute and all gooey inside.  What were you worrying about again?  You don't really remember...  
  
"I'll finish dinner," Zoro sighed, standing up and bringing you with him.  He carried you like a child to the couch and dropped you on it, your body bouncing slightly.  
  
You touched your head and pouted at him, wishing he had continued.  "Can you even cook?"  
  
He shrugged, "How hard can it be?"  
  
~  
  
After some charred burgers and a fire emergency averted, you both were now comfortably watching a movie on the crappy, old television.  You had decided you needed a good classic to calm your nerves and had set it up before moving to your regular recliner with a large blanket while Zoro yawned and relaxed on the sofa.  
  
He rested his cheek on his palm as he watched the title pop up before giving you a questioning look.  
  
"What?   _An American Werewolf in London_  is a classic!!"  You huffed, having the need to watch a horror movie to get your head on right.   Zoro continued to give you a strange look which made you want to defend yourself even more.  "Hey!  This is the first film to earn the Academy Award for Best Makeup.  Michael Jackson even hired the make-up crew from this movie to help create his _Thriller_  music video!"  
  
Zoro still looked unimpressed and you went on, determined to sell the movie now.    
  
"During a preview of the film it said, "From the Director of _Animal House"_  and many people in the audience thought they were seeing a comedy. Reportedly, people ran out of the theater when they discovered it was a horror film because they were frightened."  You laughed to yourself, evil grin on your face.  "The werewolf howl used in the film is the actual sound of a howling wolf and screaming elephant!!"  
  
The male finally cracked, giving you a wide grin and holding back his own laugh at the new statement.   
  
"Sorry, I'm not trying to get a rise out of you because of...well, werewolves.  It's just a really good movie."  You smiled apologetically.  
  
Zoro shook his head, "You know a lot about movie trivia."  
  
"Horror movies~!"  You grinned, "They're fun.  And movie history always runs with real history so it's helped me a lot on school work."  
  
He actually seemed interested in learning more but the movie got louder and drew both your attention away from one another and you sat in silence as the plot progressed.  It wasn't too long before things got crazy, the movie liked to pick up early and seemed to raise a few nagging questions in you while Zoro remained silent during the whole thing.  
  
You looked at him, blinking and watching his facial expressions, wondering if any of this rang true for him.  He wasn't showing any inclination to all the werewolf stuff in the movie and before long you were at the famous transformation scene with _Blue Moon_  playing appropriately in the background; the main character screaming in agony as his body slowly transformed into a raging beast.  
  
"Hey...Zoro?"  
  
"Hm?"  He didn't turn to look at you, just watched with a deadpan look as the actor screamed while his hands grew longer and fingers sharp with expert puppetry.  
  
"Does...well..."  You looked back at the screen then to him, gesturing towards it.  "Does it hurt to transform?"  
  
Zoro looked at you, face still blank as the scene continued with the actor now on the floor crying for help as fur grew all over his body.  His gaze was a bit unsettling to you and you were about to apologize until he finally spoke.  
  
"It's...Yes, it does."  He looked back at the screen and ran a hand through his hair.  "It doesn't happen like that, but if I could compare it to anything, it would be this."  
  
The man on the screen wailed as his torso grew long and inhuman before turning over, eyes opening wide to show off gold orbs as his nose painfully turned into a long muzzle with the sound of cracking bones.  
  
You frowned, hugging you legs to your chest as you studied the green haired male, feeling a bit guilty for bringing it up.  You stood, going over to turn off the old tv but before you could take a step Zoro had grabbed your arm and tugged you to him. You fell into his lap just as the werewolf howled offscreen with the full moon shining bright.  
  
"Z-Zoro?"  
  
He looked down at you, tucking some hair behind your ear.  "Don't be afraid to ask me anything."  
  
You blinked, wondering why his voice sounded so...so broken.  You gasped when he suddenly hugged you closer, face burying itself into your neck.  
  
"Don't be afraid..."  He whispered into your ear, arms gripping tight around your body.  " __ **Don't be afraid.** "  
  
It suddenly dawned on you that Zoro was more afraid than you had ever been these past few days.  He definitely wasn't the type to admit it, but maybe he had been alone for so long that when he had found something to latch onto, he was fearful of losing it.  You reached up and gently started to pet his head just as he had done for you earlier, feeling his heaving chest slowly calm into regular breathing while the movie continued on in the background.  
  
You both stayed like this for the remainder of the film, just hugging one another until the screen finally went black and the room completely dark without the screen's light.  
  
It was comfortable.  Just laying in Zoro's lap while he kept his face burrowed in your neck, nuzzling his nose every now and then while you would gently brush your hand through his short tresses, legs tangled together and bodies pressed close in a satisfying warmth.  
  
When he finally pulled away from your neck, you looked up and noted his red eye seemed to glow beautifully in the dark; an odd feeling of safety washing over you.  He still wasn't saying anything, just staring down at you with an incomprehensible expression.  You took this time to study his features like you had many times before and though it was dark, you felt like you could see everything perfectly.  
  
He was so handsome.  He had protected you and made sure you were safe and happy in just these few days time.  He even comforted you when you were upset.    
  
You suddenly felt like you were putting together a puzzle that hadn't fit properly until now.  Just gazing at Zoro made you realize that you never wanted him to leave, that all these confusing feelings about him and the things he's done were nothing as long as he stayed with you for all eternity.  You then reached up and rubbed his cheek, feeling his scarred eye under your thumb.  
  
"I'll always keep you safe," You whispered to him, watching his eye widen at the statement before he quickly swooped in and latched his lips onto yours.


	11. Chapter 11

Warm.  That's how you would describe the feeling in the pit of your stomach as you and Zoro kissed, heat surrounding you both as your lips crushed one another and your hands rubbed each other's forms.  
  
So warm and...and rough.  
  
His mouth was like fire, bruising your lips while his tongue begged for entrance.  In the heat of it all, you could feel Zoro's large hands creep under your shirt and up your back, his touch leaving a tingling trail in it's wake.  He just raked his palms over you skin while he continued to devour your mouth, refusing to move away from your back and to your chest where you felt needed the most attention.  You finally let the male's tongue slither in, dominating your own while also exploring every inch and claiming it as his.  You took the time to do some touring of your own, hands moving from his cheeks to his neck then to his shoulders, having wanted to touch these for a long while.  Using your fingers, you gently started to knead his skin, earning a deep groan of approval from the wolf.  
  
Your thumb brushed over Zoro's left shoulder and you felt his scar which only gave you a spark of inspiration.  You slowly pulled away from his mouth, ignoring his snarl, and moved in as you opened up his shirt.  You brushed your lips over the very tip of the healed mark then slowly kissed downward, following the marred trail over his chest, towards his abs, closer and closer, lower and lower.  
  
Zoro groaned while you made your way down until he gripped your shoulders and stopped you.  You looked up questioningly and felt a thrill of excitement run through you as noticed Zoro's cheeks were flushed for the first time since you've known him.  
  
It was so damn cute.  And it only turned you on more.  
  
Then there were blackbirds in the house.  Flying around your head and landing on the floor, pecking and searching for food before taking flight again.  Zoro didn't even seem to notice them, but it felt like time had stopped as they flew and strangely grew in number as they chirped and cawed so loud that you were sure they were inside your head and flitting about.  It wasn't until you really opened your eyes did they disappear.  
  
  
You stared lazily at the window across the room, it's bright light having woken you up from an amazing dream.  One where you and Zoro were making out heavily and were about to do the deed but were interrupted by some loud ass birds.  When in reality, the birds had been real and had penetrated your sexy dream and woken you up.  
  
You slowly turned your head to rest your chin on the thick torso, so not to wake Zoro who was snoring.  You weren't sure what was sadder, that the dream hadn't been real or that you both had passed out at some point after that amazing kiss.  
  
Blushing, you resisted the urge to bury your face into the tanned chest.  
  
Oh what the hell?  
  
You did it anyways, holding back a grin as you took in Zoro's unique smell.  Oh man, if you could bottle it up into an axe fragrance you'd be one happy duck.  Ugh, you had it bad.  
  
Wiggling slightly when you realized something warm was touching your back and turned your head to try and look and realized that Zoro's hand was actually up your shirt and laying on your bare skin.  
  
Oh my~!  
  
...Oh shit, now you'd have to figure out what part of the dream had been real and the other part fake.  The last thing you'd want to do was say something to Zoro that didn't actually happen and have him find out you were having wet dreams about him.  
  
Do you know how awkward that would be?  
  
Then again, this was the third time waking up with Zoro.  The first when he had been a dog and Jinbei had stitched him up.  Second when you both had hidden in the forest from that asshole hunter, and then this.  Arguably, this time was the best.  
  
You shifted slightly, wishing to get comfortable once more so you could go back to sleep until you realized there was something else that wasn't yours pressing against your stomach.  Cheeks now beet red, you automatically knew what it was.  
  
Well, the sun isn't the only thing that rises in the morning.  
  
You weren't positive about the feel, but you were sure it was hella big.  Wiggling again, you tried to move so it wasn't poking you and distracting you with delicious thoughts but were interrupted when Zoro growled and turned on his side, taking you with him and smooshing you between his chest and the couch cushions.  
  
You whined as he rubbed your back, feeling the hard object pressed even more against you.  
  
"You move too much."  
  
Looking up, you gave the wolf a scowl.  "Control yourself, sir."  
  
Zoro blinked in confusion until he noticed his little problem, but he only smirked toothily down at you and trailed a few fingers down your spine.  "You could always fix it."  
  
Indignant (and even more turned on), you gave him a hard shove, toppling him off the couch and giving you room to stretch while he sat up and glared.    
  
"Winner~!"  You grinned, taking up as much room on the couch as you could so he couldn't get back on and tempt you with his sexy, sexy bod.  But instead of fighting for his spot back he just rolled his eyes and stood, gently brushing his fingers through your hair as he walked to the bathroom.  
  
Just the gesture sent delicious shivers down your spine and you had to fight the urge to follow him, reminding yourself you weren't a lovesick teen.  You were an adult!!  
  
You peeked over the sofa and down the hall to the closed bathroom door, face pouting.    
  
An adult who needed to get laid, badly.  
  
Fighting the urge **_again_** , you got up and went to the window to scare off the birds who ruined your morning only to pause when you noticed how white everything was.  From the railings of the front porch, to the forest trees and wide expanse of land that extended to the lake, all was white.    
  
You pressed your nose against the window in awe, marveling at the beauty of the freshly fallen snow, feeling like you were back in another dream and enjoying a winter wonderland.  
  
Zoro came out of the bathroom and spotted you by the window, face still against the window with a childish grin spread wide over it.  He stepped by you and looked outside as well, humming at the sight.  
  
You turned your grin at him, "Let's go for a walk!"  
  
~  
  
Your foot to the ankle sunk easily into the snow, a rush of pleasure rushing through you at the action of marking the pristine landscape first before anyone or anything.  It was a weird thing for you to enjoy the untouched scenery before messing it up yourself - like a childish need to drag your finger across a freshly iced cake and leaving a long trail from side to side.  
  
You were strange, but we all knew that.  
  
Looking back, you grinned at Zoro who was wearing a long fur coat you had found in the cabin closet and a pair of comfortable snow boots.  He had changed his shirt to another button up that was just green and another pair of jeans (and much to your insistence, a pair of boxers).  You were bundled up as well, having the foresight to bring your winter coat and boots, even your cute mittens.  
  
"Hurry up, slug!"  You laughed, leading Zoro up the hill that was across the road from the cabin, intent on showing off one of the cooler spots located around the area.  He grunted but followed you without question, despite the steepness.  He seemed to be doing better than you going uphill in the snow, he would occasionally have to place a hand on your back to keep you from falling down from the slippery slope; all the while he hiked the hill like a pro.  
  
You both did this in a comfortable silence, only going uphill and making your way to the top in about twenty or so minutes.  You looked around curiously, trying to remember exactly where you had been wanting to go until you recognized the tiny path between the trees despite being covered in a blanket of white.  
  
Practically skipping, you made your way onwards, kicking at the powder happily as you both made it through the barren forest and along the path.  It felt like you were the only two people on the planet, so quiet and relaxing.  It was definitely a moment you wouldn't forget for a long time.  
  
The both of you finally made it to your destination, stopping at a spot with a few fallen trees off to the side of the path.  You grinned with a flushed face as you trudged over one of the logs and pushed aside some of the snow, trying to find what was buried underneath.  Zoro stepped over the log as well and sat down, arms crossed as he watched you look for...well, something.  He titled his head when you stood up once more and pointed to the ground to a lumpy object with a wide grin.  
  
"Tada~!"  You sung, laughing at the puzzled look on the wolf's face.  "It's a grave marker!!  All the way from the 1800s!!"  
  
When he didn't answer you proceeded to uncover the other handful of rocks, clearing off the crude writing that listed only dates and a single name.  The grave markers themselves were only about the size of a basketball, a few already broken from years of erosion and unreadable to the world.  
  
"My dad showed me this place when I was a kid, there wasn't any snow then."  You said aloud as you dug out one of the last few.  "He was sure it was an indian burial ground or possibly some early settlers.  The people who used to live full time down here back when he was a kid would claim this place was haunted or cursed.  Dad even tried to spend the night out here on his own once before he chickened out and ran off."  
  
You laughed to yourself, just imagining your father sitting exactly where Zoro was in the dead of night, looking over his shoulder every few seconds before screaming and running away at some silly noise in the forest.  
  
"This place is what got me interested in history," You smiled, rubbing snow off the last gravestone gently.  "I always felt it had a strange magic to it, at least for me."  
  
You didn't see it, but Zoro was smiling in amusement at you, watching you marvel at the simple markers like a kid in a candy store.  "It's more hollow ground then some magic, people back then were much more religious then they are now."  
  
You huffed, turning to him.  "I _knooooow_."  
  
"They probably lasted a few seasons here as a caravan before food ran out or their family line dried up.  Small groups would travel across the country on foot and not make it for too long.  Wild animals, Native Americans, starvation, and disease a lot of things could have killed this group before the rest went back to their original home."  Zoro continued on nonchalantly, surprising you with his knowledge.  
  
You stared, not expecting it from the wolf who merely grunted when he wanted something handed to him.  "Well, you know more then you let on."  
  
He shifted a bit, face now back to it's default deadpan.  "I don't know movie history, but I know a bit of what happened in the world."  
  
You grinned, trying to imagine Zoro bent over a large textbook while he adjusted his reading glasses, looking all cute and dorky as he studied up for some school exam.  "Most kids past high school forget their history facts as soon as they get to college, I'm glad you remember yours."  
  
Zoro frowned, shifting uncomfortably and looking at one of the markers instead of you.  "I never went to high school."  
  
Your eyes widened at the admission, never expecting such a thing from the wolf before you.  "But...I mean, how?  Not saying I know your home situation before we met, but the government is pretty keen on making sure kids go to school."  
  
He continued to stare at the marker, a tense silence hanging in the air for a few moments before he continued.  "School wasn't as important back then as it is now."    
  
Frowning, you continued to stare at him as you tried to make sense of what he said.  The way he stated it seemed normal enough, but his tone hinted at something else entirely.  Something you were very perplexed about.  You did this for a long while before an unsettling revelation washed over you, all the while you still knelt in the snow and ignored the wet cold penetrating your clothes.  
  
"Zoro...How..."  You swallowed, throat suddenly dry.  "How old **_are_** you?"  
  
The wolf finally, and very slowly, looked at you.  His gaze was dead serious and held nothing but truth.  
  
"Well over three hundred years."  
  
A blackbird cawed loudly over the silence, just like from your strange dream and you briefly wondered if you had been warned before this revelation.  
 _  
_

_Blackbird singing in the dead of night_

_Take these sunken eyes and learn to see_

_All your life_

_You were only waiting for this moment to be free._

_Blackbird fly Blackbird fly_

  
_Into the light of the dark black night._

 

  
_~~_

You both made your way back to the house in silence, you trying to comprehend what you had just learned while Zoro...Well, you weren't sure if he was silent as usual or if he had regretted telling you just how old he was.

I mean, it wasn't everyday someone dropped a bomb that they were close to four hundred years old.

Honestly, you weren't sure how you felt about this at all.  Learning about werewolves was crazy already and there was enough fiction out there that suggested they lived for a very long time, but to have the proof standing before you?

You were surprised your head hadn't exploded yet.

Finally making your way onto the porch and inside the cabin, you slowly took off your coat while Zoro stood in the doorway, staring at you with his usual blank gaze, as if waiting for you to tell him off or send him away.  But you did neither as you looked back, quiet as well while your mind raced a mile a minute.

It wasn't until a few tense moments that you finally answered.  "You sure you don't mean in dog years, right?"

The statement nearly made Zoro fall over, face contorted in anger.  "Of course not!!!"

You quickly held up your hands in surrender, light grin on your face.  "S-Sorry!  Sorry!!"

But just like that, the mood was light again and you felt a bit more at ease, though the wolf still looked ready to hear the worst.  You stepped closer and took his hand, dragging him into the house.

"C'mon, you're going to catch a cold staying out there for too long."

Zoro frowned, watching you tug off his coat and gloves slowly and carefully like a mother would a child.  "My age doesn't scare you?"

You looked up, eyes narrowed.  "Of course it does you idiot!  How is it even possible!?  Why do you look so young?!  Magic?!  Facial cream!?"

You rattled on while patting snow off his coat then pointed at his boots, signaling him to take them off while you continued to rant to get the uneasiness out of your system.  "I mean, shit!!  I'm basically dating a silver fox!  How weird is that?!"

Zoro looked at you, now more amused then wary.  "Dating?"

Stopping your rant, your face turned completely red when you looked at him, now suddenly unsure.  "Well...I...yes, unless I got the wrong signals."

Which has happened before.  But that's another story.

"Unless you just like to kiss random people who rescue you from the pound," You muttered, now wringing his coat in your hands.  "Which is a weird way to pick up chicks-"

He leaned in, nuzzling his nose against your cheek while his arms wrapped around your middle and pulling you into his body.  "It's proven to work.  I have you now."

You practically melted in his arms as he went about attacking your neck with kisses and bites, marking your skin eagerly while you clung to him and wondered how many years it took him to become this good with the ladies.

~~~

Neck now covered in hickeys, you both sat on the couch that night watching tv while sipping hot chocolate, though you were sure Zoro had spiked his somehow.

The rest of the day had been just talking and the occasional make out session that left you weak in the knees, then Zoro napping while you cooked and went about tidying up to pass the time.  The day had passed quickly and here you were, just sitting in the wolf's lap while you both watched the local news for anything interesting.  The weatherman was just awkward enough to entertain you before the wind howled loudly and he announced an oncoming blizzard heading your way.

"Well, looks like we'll have to get some wood for the fire place."  You frowned, hoping you two weren't completely snowed in.  The last time such a thing happened, your dad had made you grab some buckets to fill with water to heat up just to bathe and cook because the power had gone out and the pipes had frozen up.  You rather not experience that part of country life again any time soon.

Zoro patted your head but continued to watch, looking tired once more despite his long nap earlier.  You briefly wondered how a man could sleep so much and still be tired until the wind howled loudly once more and the power went out a split second later, tv turning off with a click and submerging you both in total darkness.

"Shit," You muttered, pawing around and finding the coffee table to place your mug down.  You crawled out of Zoro's lap and waited until your eyes adjusted to the darkness.  Once you could see furniture, you moved across the room to one of the kitchen cabinets and rifled about until you found a flashlight and turned it on.

"I have to go check the circuit breaker in the garage,"  You sighed as you grabbed your coat and gloves.  "Don't fall asleep on me."

Zoro snorted and watched you head outside through the back door.  You made your way down the stairs to the garage on which the house sat on, the cabin basically a two story so then if the lake ever flooded and rose up high enough it wouldn't damage the upper level and merely make it to the garage.  You fumbled about with the garage door before pushing it up and stepping inside, careful of the boxes of junk lying around.

You slowly made your way to the back wall and opened up the metal box and looked at it in confusion, not really sure what you were supposed to do since electricity wasn't really your thing.  You studied the switches and labels before you toggled with one of them and got nothing in response.  You pulled your hand away and frowned, finding something odd about one of the switches.  You shined your light on it and read the label that said 'Living Room' then looked at the wires around it and realized they were cleanly cut.

You were bewildered for just a moment before the sound of a loud crash sounded above you along with something large falling to the ground with a heavy thump.  There was another noise of shattering glass but you were already out of the garage and up the stairs and slamming your way through the backdoor, unprepared for the sight before you.

The Hunter had found you.


	12. Chapter 12

You remember going to a dive bar once.  Your friend had convinced you that the place was fun because it was known for it's patrons breaking out in fights at random.  Someone could be complimenting your shoes and then suddenly you're being swung at for not saying thanks.  Your friend described it as a wreck that you couldn't look away from and poor, naive you had never seen a bar fight before and agreed to go with her.  Plus, there was going to be cheap alcohol.  
  
The both of you had arrived and ordered your drinks and just hung out, sitting in a booth where it's seats were torn and the table rickety.  The lighting was dim and smokey from cigarettes and the bar games like pool and darts were missing some of it's equipment.  The bartender had been nasty but the patrons seemed to be well enough.  It seemed as the night had gone on that there wouldn't be a brawl at any point, your friend had been very disappointed that she couldn't share such a moment with you.  
  
Just as you two were preparing to leave there had been a shout then suddenly two, grown men were struggling and taking swings near a pool table.  The reason for the fight was unknown, but it seemed to be enough to warrant one of the men to snatch up a pool cue and start swinging.  The both of you had been in the line of fire and though she had ducked in time, your inebriated self earned a hard whack in the face from the make shift weapon.  
  
The next thing you remembered was waking up with your friend leaning over you on the street outside where the bartender had decided you had taken up too much room after the fight had finished.  You walked around with a black eye for weeks and a wary view of any kind of bars from then on.  
  
This moment, in the cabin on the lake where your werewolf boyfriend was fighting some trained assassin with a giant sword in the dark, made you feel like you were back in that very dive bar.  
  
You couldn't count how many times you were sure you had almost been sliced in the pitch darkness, your flashlight long gone from your hands sometime in the confusion.  The only thing that indicated that Zoro hadn't been killed was the sound of angry, animal snarls and the glowing red orb moving about the room; glaring at the pair of gold ones coming after it.  You honestly weren't sure if Zoro had taken the time to transform into his wolf self or that he was making the noises in his human form, either way, it was damn frightening.  
  
Much more then the sound of a wolf howl mixed with an elephant scream.  
  
The sword was obviously hitting something though, shattering glass and ripping upholstery meeting your ears as you crawled behind the couch while you tried to paw around for some kind of weapon.  Or at least something to throw at the asshole who was trying to kill Zoro.  
  
You tried not to think about how much of this place was being destroyed, resisting the urge to scream at them about using weapons in the house, all while still trying to find something of use.  You were about to cry out in frustration when you saw one of the forms suddenly get thrown out one of the windows and into the dark, snowy landscape.  Peeking up over the couch, you watched with wide eyes as a second form swiftly went after the first, leaving you alone in the destroyed cabin.  
  
Quickly, you scrambled to the back room and grabbed your baseball bat before running to the front door and outside, seeing the two figures now far across the way and going uphill where you and Zoro had been earlier that day.  It was hard to tell what was happening, but you were sure things were getting nastier.  
  
You rushed after them, trying your hardest to run through the snow, breath puffing hard while you attempted to calm your beating heart.  They were out of sight now, already up at the very top as you started your own climb, stumbling every now and then in your haste.  
  
It felt like it had taken forever to make it all the way uphill, face flushed and out of breath as you frantically searched for Zoro and the hunter.  You were met with nothing, both completely gone from view, not even the sounds of their fight reaching your ears.  
  
You clutched your bat and warily started to walk forward, fear gripping you as you realized how eerily calm it was.  It had even started to snow, soft flurries slowly falling to the ground all around you in the dark while the quarter moon hung high in the air.  It was your only source of light now, but it was enough with the white landscape giving you a better view of all around you.  
  
Thoughts of turning around and going to the other direction to look for any clues passed through you, worry that you had completely missed them and that Zoro was in danger.  But you kept on, finding yourself deeper in the forest then you had ever been, everything was unrecognizable at this point.  Just as you were about to call out for Zoro, the sound of a loud howl met your ears to the west and you quickly ran to it.  
  
You sprinted for a good five minutes past barren trees and through dips in the ground and over fallen logs, hoping you could find the wolf before things got worse.  You had to stop at some point to catch your breath, feeling a bit out of shape while looking all around until you spotted a large form to the far left of you; standing in between a tight knit group of trees.   Hesitantly, you stepped forward and raised your bat, unsure who exactly it was.    
  
But as you got closer, you realized the huddling figure had black fur and smiled in relief at seeing the familiar green tint to it.  
  
"Zoro!!"  You cried out, lowering your weapon and jogging the rest of the way to the figure.  "Did he hurt you!?  Where is he?!"  
  
The wolf gave no answer, but that was expected since he was in his dog form.  As you got closer, you noticed the creature was strangely still, setting off alarm bells inside your head.  You stopped, worried look on your face.  
  
"Zoro, are you okay?"  You didn't see any blood around him and took another step forward but quickly stopped, feeling your alarm bells ring once more.  Your heart felt like it was seizing in your chest and you weren't sure why as the panic grew more and more.  
  
It wasn't until the creature stood on hind legs and slowly turned to look at you that you realized this wasn't Bushido Zoro.  
  
The creature was as tall as any grizzly bear, perhaps taller; upper torso wide and thick while it hunched over enough that it's long arms brushed the snowy ground.  It's fingers were like knives, claws sharp and practically glittering in the moonlight; it's digits were stretched and as long as your own hand.  They looked like they could slice through flesh with such ease and kill instantly.  It's hind legs had just as dangerous looking claws as well, perfect for when another creature got them on the wolf's back that it could kick into it's stomach and spill it open.  It's whole body was covered in black fur and nothing else and it's ears were long and pointed, laying flat on it's head.  The wolf's muzzle was lengthy and curling, deadly white fangs as long as your own fingers.  
  
But what scared you the most was it's gaze.  You had been expecting to see the red orb looking down on you but were met with a pure white eye, no pupil or hint of red in sight.  It was unsettling.  
  
"Z-Zoro?"  
  
The creature fully turned to face you, chest heaving and cold breath fanning out of it's mouth.  It's body twitched slightly when you took a tentative step back, feeling like a trapped rabbit.  
  
"Zoro."  You said again, throat dry as you tried to stay your ground.  You had been expecting the dog Zoro, you hadn't even known werewolves could turn into different forms.  This one was definitely your least favorite, considering you were sure something was deeply wrong with this situation.  
  
The wolf stepped forward again, clawed hands dragging slightly in the snow before curling and you treaded back once more.  A low growl was now vibrating through his chest, white eye narrowed as he bared his teeth at you.  You stumbled and felt panic swell when your back hit a tree, stopping you from retreating further while the bipedal wolf stalked forward.  
  
You looked up into his face, the creature now close enough that his size engulfed the very moon shining behind him, and felt a sense of dread wash over you.  Taking a deep breath, you stood up a little straighter and gripped the bat in your good hand, eyes hopeful as you stared up at him.  
  
"Zoro.  It's me."  
  
The creature didn't respond, just titled it's head very slightly, pearly-white teeth still barred in aggression.  When you were sure he wasn't going to do anything, you tried to take a small step forward but quickly stopped when he growled loudly - the sound sending chills down your spine and making you raise your bat slightly.  
  
Then, his growl turned into a full on roar, noise rumbling so loudly that even you could feel it.  It was horrifying and you couldn't even begin to describe it.  As he thundered at you, his lip curled up even more in a snarl as he opened his mouth wider.    
  
"Z-Zoro!"  
  
And then he lunged, arm raised to slice you open then and there.  You could only watch in horror as death came at you until you were suddenly knocked aside.  You fell into the snow with a form covering you, wide eyes staring over the stranger's shoulder as the wolf's clawed palm missed you and hit the tree you had been against, shattering the wood like it was nothing and breaking the whole trunk in half.  The tree teetered before falling over, crashing into the snow while it's splinters flew into the air.    
  
You clutched the stranger's coat tightly in fear as the wolf roared once more and turned on the two of you, ready to maim.  The hunter frowned slightly and quickly rolled away with you in his arms as the wolf swiped at the ground, knocking aside white power and snarling at missing his targets once more.  
  
You held back a scream when the werewolf now jumped at you, ready to rip out your throats but the hunter quickly pulled out his massive sword and blocked the attack, the wolf's teeth clamping down on the blade.  He snarled and tried to break the weapon with his sharp fangs, pushing forward and curling his claws on the blade with unbelievable strength while the hunter did his best to hold him back.  
  
"You shouldn't have followed us," The hunter grunted, golden eyes narrowed, clearly struggling with the monster.  
  
"W-What's happening?!"  You gasped, completely confused over the sudden change in situation.  
  
The man scowled, his typically blank features now looking dark.  "This is your werewolf.  His true form."  
  
You looked at the black creature, startled and unbelieving.  There was no way this was your Zoro, your dorky ass dog who had been afraid you would leave him at any moment.  
  
No.  This was not your Zoro.  
  
The hunter used his strength to push the wolf back hard, getting his fangs off the glinting sword and going into an aggressive stance.  The monster snarled and crouched, front paws on the ground and looking ready to leap once more, his long tail curled up behind him.  You noticed one of his ears still had the gold earrings in it, twinkling in the soft light as he prepared his next attack.  
  
"T-That's not him!"  You hissed vehemently, eyes still glued to the growling wolf as they both waited for the other to make the first move.  
  
The hunter sneered, "The evidence is overwhelming."  
  
"That's not _**Zoro**._ "  You snapped back, glaring at your savior's back.  You wouldn't hear anything else, you knew it was physically Zoro before you and you weren't stupid, but you felt that Zoro would never attack you.  Something was obviously wrong and just looking into the creature's white eye proved you were right.  
  
Zoro's eye was a beautiful, ruby red.  A red that glinted when angry or turned warm when he looked at you.  A gaze that would do anything and everything possible to protect you.

 

 

_"I'll always keep you safe."_

_  
  
_You believed Zoro.  You knew that whatever this creature was before you wasn't him and you had to figure out a way to bring your real wolf back.  
  
Time wasn't on your side though, before any kind of idea could pop into your head the monster had lunged once more; bulky body oddly graceful while still radiating with power.  He slashed repeatedly with his claws at the Hunter, the man parrying back with his sword at alarming speed.    
  
The golden eyed stranger was holding his own very well, even getting a few cuts in despite the creature dodging most of them.  The attacks that did hit only seemed to anger the wolf more though, even making him move faster and fight stronger to the point where the assassin was being pushed back more and more; he even looked like he was struggling a bit with the beast.  
  
It was completely unreal to you, watching this fight and unsure exactly how it was going to end.  But you knew this couldn't last for long, you had to do something.  
  
So you decided to do the only idea that came to you.  An idea you knew was completely stupid and desperate.  
  
You bent down and quickly picked up a handful of snow, patting it tightly into a ball and threw it.  Your aim true, the snowball hitting Zoro right in the face and he turned to snarl maliciously at you.  This was the opening the Hunter needed though and he got a true strike in, slicing Zoro full on in the thigh.  A large gash opened up, blood gushed out and the flesh shining gruesomely.  
  
The wolf howled in pain and your heart clenched, feeling like a traitor for being the cause of Zoro's pain.  But that feeling quickly disappeared because despite the blood now falling down his leg and painting the snowy ground a deep crimson, he moved at what felt like light speed and backhanded the Hunter so hard that he was lifted off the ground and thrown into a tree.  You heard a loud, agonizing crunch when his body practically bent back and his spine broke from the impact.    
  
You watched in horror as the golden eyed man coughed up blood, trembling as he tried to sit up but was unable to because of his injury.  
  
Zoro then turned his glare on you, deciding that the man wouldn't be able to move so why not take out the other prey before feasting on the unmoving one?  You stepped back while he moved forward.  
  
The hunter coughed and struggled to stand, body obviously unable to handle it before he collapsed again.  He looked at you while now using his sword as a crutch.  
  
"RUN!!"  
  
You didn't need to be told twice, turning tail and sprinting through the snow as best as you could while the sound of a unearthly howl followed your retreat.  You kept going, surprised your body was moving at all considering how fucking scared you were.  The sound of harsh pants followed in your wake and you could only let out a sob as it grew closer.  
  
You dared not look back, knowing it would only hinder your escape.  
  
But the sound of galloping footsteps behind you was enough to make you feel like this was your very own horror movie.  You had seen this kind of things a million times before and knew it was futile, a human trying to outrun such a monster.  
  
You were going to **die**.  
  
Screaming, you felt something knick the back of your coat and you were thrown to the side, tumbling into the snow.  Zoro had swung his dangerous hand and snagged his claws into the fabric of your jacket and though he hadn't pierced your flesh he had still stopped you from going further.  
  
You scrambled to get back on your feet, looking up to see the wolf baring down on you now.  You fell back onto your knees when he slammed his hands on either side of your body, his muzzle in your face as he bellowed out another nightmarish cry.  Wide eyed with horror, he snarled down at you and raised his hand to bring down on you, intending to crush your skull like it was nothing.  
  
Arms flying up in instinct, you covered your head and screamed.  " **STOP!!!** "  
  
When you were sure to feel the very hands that comforted you from the past few days were going to end your existence, nothing happened.  
  
You whimpered and kept your head down, still waiting for the blow to fall but still received nothing.  You chanced a peek up at the wolf and stared at the motionless form, the creature's arm still raised to strike.  But he looked like he was struggling, arm shaking as if it was fighting to stay still.  
  
The wolf snarled and moved his arm as if to hit you again but still stopped further down, now his whole form trembling.  You stared agape at him when he suddenly jumped back, panting angrily.  He then started to pace around you like a shark, eyeing you and sending you snarls as you stayed perfectly still on the ground.  You watched in sick fascination as he did this, huffing and puffing as if he was annoyed that he couldn't seem to kill you.  
  
Had you finally gotten through to him?  Was the real Zoro coming back to you?  
  
The monster suddenly ran forward, this time reaching out with his mouth to snatch his jaws on your neck so to shake you until it snapped.  
  
You screamed out a no and saw him stop again, eye wide in shock and teeth snapping at you but not daring to go an inch towards your neck.  He howled in frustration when he realized he couldn't kill you before turning to knock over another tree, temper flaring angrily as he heaved and paced once more as the thick trunk fell to the ground with a loud rumble.  
  
Staring at the fallen tree and feeling a little bit relieved that it hadn't been you, you turned back to watch the wolf as he treaded in the snow.  This was very odd and despite how scared you were, it was still fascinating that he seemed unable to give you a finishing blow.  
  
Wracking your brain, you wondered if perhaps werewolves still shared similar traits with regular wolves.  It seemed obvious, but how could that explain Zoro's behavior?  You knew basic things about animals, most people did.  You knew wolves ran in packs and had a pecking order.  An alpha would keep control of the pack and made sure they were safe.  
  
But Zoro was a lone wolf, he had no pack.  This wouldn't explain his behavior at the moment considering he was obviously his own alpha.  
  
So why had he stopped when you told him to?  
  
...There was no way you were his alpha.  That was fucking ridiculous - hilariously ridiculous.  You were sure there was some kind of stare down or battle for alpha among wolves and you were sure as hell you hadn't ever done that with Zoro.  
  
Figuring you had nothing to lose, you stood, gaining the wolf's attention in doing so.  He snarled and took a hesitant step forward while you summoned up as much courage as you could muster.  
  
" **Stay!** "  
  
Zoro stopped, body shaking with rage when he couldn't move forward.  The very scene blew your mind.  
  
Holy shit, it was true?  No, no _fucking_ way.  
  
Confidence driving you now, you moved towards the wolf and got close enough to be able to touch him.  You looked up into his snarling, angry face and glared right at him, but he didn't look away like you had expected him to.  He glowered right back, but it was obvious he was as confused as you were.  
  
You took a deep breath and reached up, standing on the tips of your toes to touch Zoro's cheek with shaky hands.  You still didn't believe you were some alpha, but you weren't going to question it right now, especially since the wolf made no move to snap at you.  
  
Suddenly, you were reminded of when Bushido Zoro had come to your door with his wound; snapping and growling while you had tried to save him before getting Jinbei.  It was almost exactly like this and you briefly wondered about the connection.  
  
The monster suddenly whined, the sound so pitiful that you were surprised he could make such a noise in such an imposing form.  You stared in shock when he tried to pull away from your hand but couldn't because of your order to stay.  Realization hit you when he whined again, finally understanding that he had been attacking the two of you out of possible fear more then rage.  
  
He had been defending himself.  He had been attacked and sent into some breaking point to where he was now in this nightmarish form to keep himself safe.  Zoro had assumed you were there to attack him with your bat and had reacted like any animal would.  He was so far gone he couldn't recognize friend from foe.  Him chasing you had obviously been instinct, you felt stupid for running now; everyone always said not to run from a bear - it applied to this situation too.  
  
You basically had spurred him on to keep fighting and now that you had figured out how to stop him, he was afraid you would kill him in such a weak state.  
  
Your heart clenched and you gently started to brush his cheek, hearing him whine and tremble again.  
  
"Zoro," You cooed softly, knowing he could hear you now.  "You're safe."  
  
He looked dubious but was leaning down and close to you, body practically engulfing your own as he leaned into your touch.  You petted his head, seeing his muscles slowly start to relax.  
  
"Please.   **Come back.** "  You said desperately, hoping he would follow this order too. He immediately gave one last pathetic whine before disturbing crunching sounds reached your ears as his body grew smaller and his bones rearranged themselves.  You felt his form lean on you and make you fall back onto your butt, his body draped over your own as he turned into a human again.  His head was hanging over your shoulder while his arms laid limp at your side, breathing heavy and naked form pressing close against you.  
  
Zoro didn't say anything as you continued to pet his head, making you wonder if he was even conscious.  Your question was answered though as you felt a hand grip the back of your jacket roughly, his body tense once more as he moved his face to bury itself into your neck.  He took deep breaths, the both of you sitting in silence as snow gently fell from the sky that night.  
  
Then you felt his body go limp once more before he passed out, leaving you alone to figure out what to do next.


	13. Chapter 13

Okay.  Don't freak out.  You've got this.  Your boyfriend who had almost killed you was laying naked in your arms while you both sat in the snow at night.  A blizzard was heading your way and he was bleeding out like crazy and unconscious.  There was still a hunter in the woods who could or could not be dead and you were the only one who knew.  
  
You sniffled.  
  
Don't.  Freak.  Out.  
  
Looking down, you placed a shaky hand on Zoro's green hair as he laid face down in your chest, surprised to see drops of water falling on him.  Then you realized the water was your tears and you were breathing hard.  It was freezing and you were sure Zoro was somehow getting frostbite and no one was around to tell you what to do.   
  
Just what the hell were you supposed to do?!!  
  
Because right now, you were crying.  Crying and staring at Zoro's soft, green hair as he bled in your arms and you were freaking out.  
  
"H-Help..."  You blubbered out in a soft voice, looking around with desperate eyes.  "H....Help!!"  
  
No one answered.  You just sat there sniveling in the snow while your boyfriend was possibly dying and no one was around to help.  You were on your own.  You could only hug the wolf close and sob into his hair, panicking as you tried to think of a way to fix this.  Fuck, you were just some random person who adopted a dog and now you were in such a mess.  
  
You were definitely not adult enough to handle this.  
  
You started to rock back and forth, cradling Zoro as you did so.  Nothing was coming to you and you were officially unprepared for this type of situation.  Everything was so quiet as you cried, the only thing answering your soft moans for help was the very wind that would possibly mean his death.  It wasn't until you noticed how wet and sticky your clothes were that you finally snapped out of your breakdown.    
  
The sight of Zoro's blood was an unsettling wake up call.  His wounds were so horrible looking but it was the slash on his thigh that worried you the most, considering how deep it was.  You had to do something, because this was fucking messed up.  
  
"There's no crying in baseball," You muttered, wiping your eyes and snot filled nose before hefting Zoro up.  He was so damn heavy.  You grunted when you managed to sling his arm over your shoulder before you stumbled into a direction you assumed home was.  
  
You just had to do one thing at a time and right now the first thing to do was to get Zoro some place warm.  It felt like forever as you stumbled through the forest with the unconscious man in your arms.  You had almost fallen a few times but managed to stand upright, dragging the body over a few fallen trees and dips in the ground you hadn't noticed because of the snow.    
  
It seemed that the weather was getting worse.  Normally you could avoid the ditches, but with the white powder now falling so fast and the wind starting to howl, your eyesight couldn't be completely trusted.  Everything was filling up so fast too, the snow that had originally only come up to your ankles was now halfway up your calves and getting taller.  It was a relief when you finally saw the lake in the distance and soon the cabin.  You realized just how far you had gotten from home and were thankful you had a better sense of direction then Zoro.  
  
Trekking downhill, which was very hard with a man who was a lot heavier then he looked, you made it to the house and dragged Zoro up the front porch.  You flipped the light switch to the living room and cursed when nothing happened, remembering that the Hunter had cut the power.  
  
You pulled Zoro's body towards where you remembered the fire place was and laid him down on the ground, thankful there wasn't any broken glass in the space.  It took a few moments of fiddling about before you snarled in frustration, wishing you had some form of light to see by.  You ran about the cabin for a bit until you found the flashlight you originally had under the couch, having rolled underneath during all the confusion.  Taking it back to Zoro, you started to work on bandaging his leg the best you could.  You knew there wasn't any kind of first aid in the house so you did what you could, going as far as ripping up some clean clothes and wrapping the wound up tight.  
  
Once you were sure you stopped the blood flow, you grabbed as many blankets as you could and started to wrap him up, knowing you would have to go back out to get some fire wood or else you'd both freeze that night.  Once you deemed him a proper burrito, you went to the front door and looked out, biting your lower lip when you saw how heavy the snow was falling now.  
  
No one would know, right?  I mean...he had tried to kill Zoro.  
  
But he had also saved you.  You scowled and paced in front of the door, eyes not leaving the snowy scene.  Surely, he was fine.  I mean, that smack to the tree was nothing.  It wasn't like you had heard his bones practically snap in half on impact.  
  
It had been your imagination.  
  
Just like the blood he had coughed up when he had told you to run- ** _FUCK!!_**  You zipped up your jacket and pulled up your hood before going outside, yelping when you realized the snow was up to your knees now.  But there was no going back as you trudged through the powder and up the hill.  
  
It had taken forever to find the man, his body practically buried in the snow.  He looked almost blue when you had dug him out and you had to stop yourself from pulling him out of the rest when you realized his spine might actually be broken.  If there was one thing you knew, it was never to move someone who might have a spinal injury.  You were ignorant to most medical facts, but that was a big one everyone always said.  
  
Unfortunately, you weren't sure what else you could do.  You certainly couldn't leave him out here like this - not unless he would emerge once spring came, all fine and dandy like a blossoming flower.    
  
You very gently positioned his head to face upwards, flinching when he groaned at the movement.  You brushed off more of the building snow while figuring you could drag him back by his arms, as long as you kept his body as straight as possible.  You were sure you could do this.  
  
Carefully, you hooked your hands under his shoulders and slowly pulled him out of the snow, frowning when he clenched his teeth but stayed unconscious throughout the ordeal.  This took much longer then Zoro; the man was much taller then the wolf and it didn't help that he seemed to refuse to unclench his hand from his large sword.  You had given up trying to get him to drop it, knowing you were wasting precious minutes.  
  
You didn't have time to worry if you were doing the right thing in moving him; the snow was falling too fast and you doubted you had a cellphone signal to call for help, they'd probably be unable to come since you were so far from the nearest hospital and the roads were much worse now then they had been earlier.  
  
You were on your own.  Which was probably for the best in the long run, you rather not have to explain how he had gotten hurt.  
  
Luckily, you were much closer to the cabin then you had been when dragging Zoro.  Unluckily, you had tripped over something and had managed to drop the man as well.  He had woken up instantly, back arching and teeth clenched so tightly that blood trickled out of his mouth before he passed out again.  It was definitely not something you wanted to see again.  
  
And of course, the thing you had fallen over had been your own baseball bat.  Cursing at it before slipping it under the back of your coat, you started to drag the man down the hill as slowly as possible until you finally made it back to the house and pulled him inside.  
  
You did the same thing for him just as you had for Zoro, clearing enough space to lay him next to the wolf before you started to wrap him up in whatever blankets you could find; making sure to put enough padding around his head so he couldn't move it and make things worse.  Once done, you worked on getting more light into the room, grabbing candles and lighters and more flashlights.  You placed them around the room and were happy to find that it was just dim enough for you to start on that fire.  
  
~  
  
The room was much cleaner an hour later, the fireplace had brought more light to the room so you had a chance to assess the damage done to the house.  
  
A few things that were unsalvageable were thrown out, a vase or two and a few plates that had fallen in the china cabinet, and unfortunately, the TV.  Everything else was in decent shape, the couch had a few tears, but nothing a good needle and thread couldn't fix.  
  
Somehow, during the whole fight, the John Wayne painting hadn't been touched.  Everything else around it, hanging and just placed beneath it had been slashed or pushed over, but it was in pristine condition as always.  You honestly weren't sure if this was a good thing or not.  I mean, what kind of luck did you have to have the only TV in the house get busted open, but the damn John Wayne painting be hanging up in the perfect position like always?   
  
Life can just suck it for all you cared.  
  
~  
  
  
Another two hours had passed and still nothing from the two men on the floor.  You had spent that time adjusting their blankets and making sure the fire kept going.  You were lucky the pipes hadn't frozen over, so you could boil some water for food.    
  
You had hoped the smell of impromptu spaghetti would have awoken at least one of them, but they kept still while you ate noodles in worry.  
   
  
~  
  
  
Okay, you may or may not have spent the last hour in the bathroom crying.  The tub had been very comfortable though.  Who knew just laying in a porcelain tub without water could be so comforting?  
  
No signs of them waking up.  
  
  
~  
  
  
Holy shit, the snow was still coming down.  You hoped you had enough food to last this out...  
  
  
~  
  
  
Your phone was officially dying.  You had about twenty percent battery left and no way of charging it.  Even though the wires to the living room had been cut, the rest of the house wasn't working either.  You weren't sure if had to do with the hunter or the snow storm.  
  
The last thing you got on the screen before it officially went black was the time.  3:44 AM.  
  
Honestly, you had expected it to be much later.  Who knew life or death situations in the snow only lasted about a couple hours?  
  
  
~  
  
  
They still weren't awake.  Back to the bathtub.  
  
  
~  
  
  
You had to resist the urge to angst eat all the spaghetti.  There had to be leftovers for the two men, but holy shit were you needing some kind of comfort food.  
  
  
~  
  
  
One of them was up.    
  
You had been crawling under one of the beds in search of more blankets for yourself when you heard a soft grunt.  Running to the living room, you were both relieved and upset it wasn't Zoro who was awake.  At least you knew the stranger wasn't dead.  
  
The hunter turned his gaze to look at you when you entered, his creepy golden eyes staring right through you.  
  
"Don't move, you may or may not have a spinal injury."  You stated, walking over to him and making sure the pillows kept his head in place.  
  
He said nothing, only focused on you while making you feel extra creeped out.  You tried to act normal as he kept staring, but those eyes weren't natural and it was officially making you self-conscious.   
  
"Stop!!  It's hard enough to stay calm without some creep glaring at me!"  
  
The man blinked, "I am sorry."  
  
He didn't look fucking sorry.  He never looked anything with that blank gaze!!  
  
The hunter turned his gaze to his side, noticing Zoro who was still knocked out.  Something flickered in his eyes before he looked back at you.  "Why haven't you killed him yet?"  
  
 _ **Oh no he didn't.**_  You seethed, "I.Am.Not.Killing.Zoro."  
  
He was now scowling at you, or what you thought was a scowl from the living statue.  "He tried to kill you, yet you let him live?  Foolish."  
  
"Look here you stalker freak!!  I just spent the last few hours dragging your ass out of the snow and keeping you as still as possible!!  Not to mention worrying whether or not you were going to die!!  Don't make me fucking regret it!!"  
  
He stayed silent now, watching you get up in a huff and go to the couch.  You glared at the spot where the tv had been, arms crossed and foot tapping angrily on the floor.  This anger session lasted for a few minutes as he continued to stare before finally speaking up.  
  
"Mihawk."  
  
You looked at him, confused frown forming on your face.  "What?"  
  
"My name is Dracule Mihawk."  He shifted slightly and flinched, the movement making you sit up in worry once more.  He looked back at you with a softer gaze now, even curious looking.  
  
"Tell me.  Why do you wish to protect him?"  
  
"Why?"  You wanted to pull out your hair at this point, becoming frustrated now.  "I could write a whole book of reasons."  
  
Mihawk shook his head slightly, regretting the movement, but it didn't seem to hurt him too much.  "No.  Tell me why.  I do not want excuses."  
  
You glared at him, getting back on the floor and leaning over the man who didn't look the least bit intimidated despite not being able to move.  You had to take a few deep breaths to calm yourself, ready to tell him off and give him a million reasons why you were protecting Zoro.  
  
But what tumbled out of your mouth was something you hadn't expected to say.  You weren't even fully prepared for what you had to say.  
  
"Because I love him."


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Almost caught up to where I am in writing - just 2 more chapters.

_"Her heart--is given him, with all its love and truth. She would joyfully die with him, or, better than that, die for him. She knows he has failings, but she thinks they have grown up through his being like one cast away, for the want of something to trust in, and care for, and think well of. . . . "_  
Our Mutual Friend  
~ Charle's Dicken's   
  


  
Mihawk stared at you, eyes actually a little wide at your confession of your love for the werewolf.  He had heard many things before, but this one was definitely different.  It happened a lot in the movies but to actually be living the drama.  

Honestly, he wasn't sure if he approved or not.  If the situation wasn't so dire he might have given you a stern talking to like a father would a daughter.

"Under the circumstances, I'm sure you feel something for the wolf; but if things were normal-"

"No!"  You interrupted with a shout, eyes flashing with anger and determination and something so deep that even Mihawk looked amazed and unwilling to contradict again.  "I love him!  I love the way he snores when he naps!  I love the way he grumbles about the silliest things but does them anyways!  The way he always seems to get lost even when it's just inside a house!  How he pets my head to calm me down or how he hugs me like I'm the most important person in the world!  I love him so much that I feel like I'm going to explode and I will give up everything so he won't have to spend another day in his life alone!"

You practically radiated anger as you went on, wanting the hunter to realize that you would do anything to keep Zoro safe and that you would fight to the death to make sure Mihawk would ever lay a finger on him.  "Zoro would never hurt me and despite what you saw in the woods he couldn't even touch me!!  I will always take care of him and I would kill anyone who hurts him!!  He's mine, damn it!"

"Am I?"

"Shhh!!"  You said while turning to the wolf who was staring at you with a raised eyebrow.  "I'm trying to defend your honor here!"

You looked back at Mihawk to shout some more and proclaim your undying love but then realized the one you loved was awake.  "Zoro!!"

You grinned happily at the wolf who only stared but then suddenly realized that it was more then possible that he had just heard EVERYTHING you had just said.  Redness swept over your face like wildfire spreading across a dry field.  The both of you stared at one another for what felt like forever before you stumbled backwards, pulling your shirt collar over the lower half of your face to try and hide it before running towards the bathroom and slamming the door behind you.

Promptly embarrassed, you crawled into the bathtub and pulled the shower curtain closed; this is where you would live from now on.

The tub was comfortable enough, just a few blankets and pillows and it'd make the perfect bed/couch.  Your laptop could sit on the toilet when you weren't using it and you could totally lay in the tub and watch netflix.  Food might be a problem, but you were good at sneaking snacks so there would be no way Zoro could catch you.  It may be a little small, but you could make it work  You always made things work.

You jumped when you heard the bathroom door open and held your breath as you saw a tall shadow walk close to the tub, unable to see the person because of the shower curtains.  But you knew who it was, it was obvious and as much as you hoped Mihawk had magically gotten better and was coming in to console you or even to convince you how wrong it was to protect a werewolf, you still felt your heart jump in excitement when Zoro pulled back the shower curtain to look down at you.

Shit, play it cool.  You sputtering to the man after declaring your devotion wouldn't be smooth and you've already went through all this crap in high school, you didn't need it as an adult.  It was really hard though, just him staring at you was making you all jittery and excited; it was like admitting your feelings made you extra sensitive to everything Zoro did and it was driving you insane.  Did your breath smell okay?  Could he smell it from there?  Animals always had sensitive noses compared to humans so you were sure Zoro could probably smell how much you needed mouth wash or if you had remembered to put on deodorant that morning.

Oh crap, what if he noticed how much he made your body tremble or how sweaty your palms got?  Was your hair okay?  You hoped that horrible cow lick that popped up when you didn't brush it just right wasn't doing it's thing.  But what if he liked it?  Maybe you shouldn't brush your hair so often then?  No, that was stupid - cow licks never looked good.

Zoro still wasn't saying anything.  You weren't either so the whole situation was awkward and you should really say something but your mouth refused to move.  Your tongue was sticking to the roof and your lips felt dry and it was so hard to swallow when you stared right into his eye.  His beautiful red eye that glittered like a ruby and made your breath quicken and heat spread through your hormone ridden body.

Say something.  Say something, you idiot!!

"Y-You shouldn't be up..."

Zoro scowled, looking down at his thigh that was wrapped in a towel and soaking up whatever blood that spilled out.  It didn't look as bad as it did earlier, but you were still worried.

"I'll be fine.  It'll take longer to heal since his sword is made of silver, but it'll close up by the morning."  He knew it would heal faster if he turned into his wolf form but that probably wouldn't be a good idea right now.  He couldn't remember what exactly had happened, but he was sure he had almost killed you.

Most of the images in his head were a jumbled noise, like a movie that wasn't put in the right order and had the occasional scenes that were just black; as if the video had been cut out but the audio worked perfectly.  But there was one moment that stood out and he couldn't forget.  It was a vision of you running away from him.  It was so quiet and the only thing he could hear was the sound of your panic breathing....and the sound of a wolf panting.

His panting.  

Zoro grunted as he sat on the floor next to the tub, leaning against it and glaring at the door as he shut it with his foot so you two could have some privacy.

"Are you hurt?"

You blinked at his question, wondering why he wasn't looking at you.  You rested your chin on the side of the tub, so close to him that you could see any tiny movement the male made.  "No.  I'm pretty okay."

He didn't respond, just crossed his arms.

You both sat in silence for a little while, the room feeling tense and awkward and you weren't sure if it was because of you admitting you loved him or something completely different.  Was this what guys felt like when they did something wrong and didn't know it?  If it was, you vowed to never laugh at any similar moment that happened in movies or TV again because this shit sucked ass.

Hand reaching forward, you tried to touch Zoro's head but he snatched your hand before it could touch him.  His grip was firm and a little painful and he was looking at you now, eye narrowed and fangs bared.  It was a little scary and it must have showed on your face because he quickly let go and turned back around, head a little lower then it had been.

"Zoro..."

"I'm sorry."  He muttered, sounding more frustrated then anything.  "For everything."

You tried to get him to look at you but he kept his gaze on the door.  "You have nothing to be sorry about-"

"I almost killed you."

Okay, well, that was true.  "But you didn't."

He finally turned and gave you a look that immediately destroyed any argument following your statement.  "I'm sure the hunter told you everything about my kind.  How we're dangerous and hot tempered and all the bullshit."

You nodded reluctantly which prompted him to continue.

"I know he's also told you about lone wolves.  How we're crazy and dangerous.  How we're monsters-"

"You are not a monster!"  You hissed, angry now he was spouting such nonsense but you were silenced when you suddenly found him already in the tub and on top of you.  The wolf pushed you down into a laying position and held your arms down, leaning so close that you could see the red madness in his eye and the glint of his pointed fangs as they moved and brushed lightly over your chin.  They were so sharp that they left a tiny knick on your skin, a tiny trail of blood falling down your neck where he moved in and licked it carefully, hungrily.

You shuddered as you felt his warm tongue glide over your throat, following the crimson trickle from the bottom and all the way up to your cut, kissing it a little wildly before licking it clean.  He then buried his nose into your neck and inhaled greedily, listening to your quickened pulse as he continued to hold you down so firmly.  Zoro was breathing heavy now and it took him a while before he looked you in the eyes again, daring you to say it again.

When you didn't, he continued.  "I'm not ashamed of what I am.  I've never been."

You felt his grip on you lighten as he laid a little bit on top of you now, knee resting between your legs and arms wrapping around your waist as he laid his head on your chest.  "I just don't want you to be ashamed."

You weren't really sure what to do.  Zoro had just admitted to not caring about being called or even being a monster.  All that he cared about was that if you did and honestly, you weren't even sure.  But as soon as you rested a hand on his back and the other on his head, you knew you didn't.

He was yours, you had said so earlier.  Nothing was going to change how you felt about him.

"I'm not ashamed of you.  I love you."

Zoro's grip tightened around your waist, but he didn't say anything; just kept his face buried in your chest as you both laid in the bathtub.  It was pretty comfortable though, just you petting his hair and rubbing his back.  You probably would have been more embarrassed that he was still **super** naked, but right now you just liked him laying on top of you.

"Do you want to know why I was at the pound?"  He asked softly, startling you out of your relaxed state.  Zoro was now looking at you, chin resting on your body as he kept his face neutral.

"What?  Oh, you weren't there to pick up chicks?"  You teased, running your fingers through his short hair.

He cracked a little smile, but it was a sad.  "I was ready to die."

You went rigid, eyes widening in horror as he went on.  "I've been alive for so long...running around, doing what I want.  I never minded being alone, even as a human I had been alone.  But after living so many years and seeing so many things..."

Zoro trailed off and you didn't need to hear any more to know why.  His eye had what a doctor would call a thousand-yard stare.  The thousand-yard stare is a phrase coined to describe the limp, blank, unfocused gaze of a battle-weary soldier, but the symptom it described may also be found among victims of other types of trauma.  You knew of such a phrase because of all the wars you've read about and all the black and white photos in history texts.  You just never thought you would ever see it on a person in real life.  It was so haunting.

"I knew what they had wouldn't kill me, but I had hoped they would just keep trying until I finally just died."  He huffed, talking as if you were discussing what you were going to have for dinner.  "But you came and ruined it, I had hoped you would just leave me alone but you dragged me out of there and I just went with it."

He clung tighter to you now, "I decided to live with you for a little bit to see if my mind changed but when it didn't I ran away.  I ran until I found shelter in the forest and tried to think of another way to die when the hunter found me."

Zoro smirked, as if finding the whole thing hilarious.  "I thought it was perfect until he started to attack and I fought back instinctively.  I realized after he had cut me up a few times that I wanted to die on my own terms, but I still didn't have enough will to keep him from seriously injuring me."

Your hands were gripping his head and back now, digging into his skin as if he were about to disappear before your very eyes; but he took no notice as he told his story.  

"When I managed to get away I didn't really know what to do.  I knew I was bleeding to death but my body just kept moving despite my mind being numb.  The next thing I knew I was at your door and wanting inside."

He turned his ruby gaze on you now, eye suddenly alight with fire.  "You saved me...I didn't want to be saved but you ignored my threats and did everything you could to keep me from dying."

Now he was getting up, moving until his forehead rested on yours and eye staring right into your own.  "You wanted me around.  You wanted me alive and the next thing I knew, I wanted to be alive too.  I wanted to be living next to you and taking care of you like you did me."

He brushed his fingers over your cheek, wiping away tears you hadn't known you had shed.  

"I wanted you to be mine.  Only mine."  He leaned closer, lips almost touching yours; hot breath mingling with your own.  And suddenly he was kissing you, mouth devouring your own and you eagerly kissed back; feeling his hand rest on your neck and jaw, holding it firmly while you both kissed with desperate need.

Emotions may have been running a bit high, especially after he had told you he had been trying to commit suicide various times, but he was with you now and he wanted to live.  

Zoro wanted to live with you and you with him.

He didn't need to say it.  The way he held onto you and smothered your lips with his was enough.  How his free hand raked down your body and slithered up your shirt to grope at whatever he could.  His chest now close and flushed against your own, his knee moving to widen your legs a bit more and his obvious growing lust.  Your own hands were moving on their own too, body hot and demanding to be touched.

You didn't need to hear him say how much he wanted you; his actions were enough to make you feel like you could fly to the moon and back.

Besides, you doubted he would be able to say 'I love you' without blushing like a dork.


	15. Chapter 15

Your boobs.  
  
They were all it took to make the aggressive, sexy man before you to turn into a sputtering, blushing mess.  One moment Zoro was taking charge and really into kissing you, hands traveling over your clothed body while his own would slowly rub and jut against your own; but as soon as he managed to get both hands up your shirt he stopped just below your ladies and stared intently.    
  
At your chest of course, but very intently.  
  
He had paused just about where the wire of your bra was and just stared and stared until he moved his gaze to your face.  Though, he couldn't seem to look you in the eyes, his own looking towards the walls or corners in nervousness as if you would bite.  You had been very confused at first until he asked the cutest damn thing you'd never thought you'd hear from the wolf.  
  
"C-Can I touch them?"  
  
You stared awkwardly at the male before you burst out laughing, effectively killing the mood and making Zoro look a bit pissy.  He scowled and buried his face into your neck, obviously trying to hide his embarrassment while you hugged him.  
  
"My poor fluff-butt," You cooed; earning a growl from the male.  "Surely you haven't lived all these years with blue balls?"  
  
Zoro let out a snarl, "Of course not...Damn it, I know what I'm doing."  
  
You lazily started to pet his head and smirked, "I'm sure you do."  
  
Zoro nipped at your neck in retaliation, more playful then sexy, but it made you yelp all the same.  You were sure it was another hickey to add to the collection.  "C'mon, Mr. Suave, we're not doing this in the bathtub."  
  
"Why not?"  Zoro muttered, though he still looked flushed when he noticed your shirt was pretty high up your body.  Geeze, the guy can give a kick-ass kiss, but as soon as you showed some skin he was basically a thirteen year old.  
  
You fixed your clothing so the green haired male could look at you without feeling awkward then climbed out of the tub.  "It's late and I'm sure you and Mr. Stalker are starving."  
  
Zoro scowled, having forgotten the other man was in the house and moved to follow you out but you stopped him.  You did this by pulling the door closed halfway behind you, turning to stare at your boyfriend through the crack and straight in the eye.  He looked confused until you pointed below his waist.  
  
"You are not coming out until you either put on clothes or fix... **that**."  
  
Zoro jeered, not even looking at his arousal.  "Clothes are troublesome."  
  
You raised an eyebrow at him and jutted out your hip while your voice dripped with sass, "Oh?  I guess I should start walking around naked.  I'm sure Mihawk wouldn't mind."  
  
The wolf's eye flashed in possessive anger at the suggestion before he grabbed the collar of your shirt and pulled you into a rough kiss.  Zoro dominated your mouth for just a few seconds that left you wanting more before he finished and moved to nip at your earlobe, deep voice rumbling in your ear.  
  
" _ **Mine**_."  
  
Before the chills could even make it all the way through your body, he closed the bathroom door and left you staring at it for who knows how long.  You breathed in deeply to calm yourself and when that didn't work you fanned your face before turning to go check on your patient.  
  
Damn it, you should have done it in the tub.  
  
  
~  
  
  
"What are you doing?"  Zoro frowned, mouth full of spaghetti as you carried a plate of food over to the immobile hunter.  
  
"Mihawk needs to eat," You shrugged, sitting down on the floor next to the man and twirling your fork in the noodles.    
  
Zoro stared for a long minute as you moved the fork full of food towards the hunter and growled, not at all liking the idea of you feeding another man.  "He can feed himself."  
  
You gave the wolf a look, "Zoro, he can't even move."  
  
"Then I'll do it," He grunted, standing up after consuming the rest of his plate.  You blinked and tried to picture the man feeding his sworn enemy but all you could see was Zoro either stuffing Mihawk's mouth so full of noodles he choked or just throwing the man out the window to be done with him.  
  
"No, I'll feed him."  You turned back to the man and resisted the urge to make choo choo noises as it neared his mouth.  A frown formed on your face when Mihawk turned his head away.  
  
"I do not need to eat," He stated bluntly, his face a little sour looking.  
  
" _Whaaaaaaat?_ "  You frowned, a little put out since you made so much food.  "C'mon, don't be a baby.  It's good!"  
  
Zoro watched in amusement as Mihawk turned his head this way and that to avoid the food, watching you grow more and more frustrated by the second until it finally looked like you were about to stab the man's eyes out with the forkful of noodles.  You slammed the plate down on the floor and twitched, "I did not **slave**  over a hot fire for you not to even eat.  There are starving children in Africa!!"  
  
Mihawk didn't even look the least bit concerned over how you were now waving the fork around.  
  
"You will eat!!"  You tried again but Mihawk kept avoiding the food until Zoro swooped in as you neared another rant.  He grabbed you by the waist and slung you over his shoulder and started to walk out of the room as you yelled at the hunter.  
  
"Throw him out!!  That ungrateful bastard!!  I demand justice!!  Take away his pillows!!"  Zoro held back a laugh as he carried you to the bedroom and closed the door, knowing that keeping you away from Mihawk for a little bit would calm you down.  
  
You angrily waved the fork around when Zoro set you back on your feet, ranting until you were red in the face about the hunter.  When you showed no signs of stopping Zoro grabbed your hand and brought the fork to his own mouth, chomping down on what little food was left on it.  He stared blankly at you as he ate the noodles, his thumb brushing over your palm until he was done and pulled away.  
  
He swallowed, "You can feed me."  
  
 _ **FFFFFFF-!!!!!!**_ He was so flipping cute!!!  
  
"I-I still think we should throw him out," You muttered, cheeks slightly pink over the cutest moment ever.    
  
Zoro huffed and patted your head in response.  
  
You frowned, a bit confused as to why Zoro seemed to be so nonchalant about the man in the other room.  They had tried to kill each other multiple times but now didn't even seem to register the other.  Well, Mihawk watched Zoro and vice versa, but they said nothing; just acted like wary animals.  
  
"It's better that you brought him here,"  Zoro stated, still petting your hair while looking at the closed door.  "Leaving him to die would have weighed on you."  
  
You frowned, though it was the truth, you would have thought Zoro would have wanted him gone after everything the hunter had done.  When you voiced your thoughts, the wolf smiled down at you and gave your hair one last little tussle before turning to leave the room.  
  
"I can't hate him...not when he saved you from me."   
  
Blinking, you watched the male leave and remembered back to when Mihawk had saved you from a death blow when you had first ran into the wild wolf only hours earlier.  
  
"Damn it," You pouted, following Zoro out of the room; knowing he was completely right.  
  
  
~~  
  
  
The rest of the night and next day had been a bit rough.  You had promptly passed out on the couch, legs tangled up with Zoro's while the man practically trapped you between the back of the couch and his bare chest, having only slipped on sweat pants.  It was very comfortable but you were too tired to properly enjoy it.  
  
You all were too tired to do anything actually - so tired in fact that you slept until late afternoon.  You were sure it was already growing late when you finally did start to work on making food, attempting to boil soup over the fireplace.  The snow had really piled up over the night that there was no chance of leaving any time soon.  What sucked was that it started to snow heavily again later that night when you all passed out again after dinner.  Your group will definitely be stuck here a while.  
  
But what really pissed you off was that Mihawk refused to eat what you made.  You had wondered if maybe he thought you were a sucky cook but grew worried when he refused food the next day as well.   
  
And the next.  
  
It was three days later when you finally begged Zoro to force feed the hunter, but the wolf shook his head.  
  
"If he doesn't want to eat, I won't force him."  The male grunted, seeming relaxed.  
  
"He's starving himself!!"  You fretted, pacing in the back bedroom while Zoro shifted through the closet for something.  "I can't just let him die after all this!  I had to drag his ass through the snow!"  
  
Zoro merely hummed in response before finally pulling out some old blankets buried underneath some boxes.  
  
"What are you doing?"  You asked, stopping mid pace as he placed the covers in a pile.  
  
He scowled, "I'm getting more blankets so we don't freeze.  That couch is starting to kill my back so we're sleeping in a bed tonight."  
  
"Ooooh, you're so good at seducing me."  You teased, enjoying the sight of him quickly turning red.  
  
"I-I wasn't!!"  He scowled, "I just thought it'd be nice to sleep normally!!"  
  
You crouched next to the flustered man and grinned, "Keep it up and I might let you touch my boobs."  
  
The wolf snarled and quickly stomped out of the room, so embarrassed you were sure steam was coming out of his ears.  
  
Oh man, you had so much ammunition at you disposal that it was almost too easy.  But you had to entertain yourself somehow~!  
  
  
~~~  
  
  
That night hadn't been as fun as you had hoped though.  Both Zoro and you had passed out as soon as you laid down, having spent most the day trying to shovel a way to the car so there was some way out when this was all over.  Then you had scoured the area for some branches for the fire, growing close to running out of wood to keep it burning.  
  
It had definitely been a rough day so the sleep was welcoming.    
  
You had woken up when it was still dark out, but figured the sun wasn't up just yet.  Your body was entwined as close as possible with Zoro's; his arms were wrapped tight around you and his face was buried in the top of your head, he seemed content.  He even seemed pissy when you moved around too much, tightening his arms and even tangling his legs with yours so you couldn't get away.  
  
It was a bitch trying to get off the bed.  Zoro was adamant about letting you go and you had to wiggle out aggressively before he finally released you.  The ass had the gall to glare at you with tired eyes, even attempting to snatch your arm so he could drag you back into the bed, but you danced out of his reach.  
  
"Bathroom," You muttered, glaring right back at him and leaving the room before he could grab at you again.  
  
You did your business and checked your face in the mirror, noting how tired you looked and how crazy your hair was.  You tried to fix it a bit but gave up after a few seconds, deeming it not worth the effort.  You were just going to go back to bed anyways.  Stumbling out of the bathroom, you turned when you heard rustling in the kitchen.  
  
Thinking that Zoro was looking for some food, you walked in there with a yawn, about to ask if he wanted you to make breakfast but stopped when you looked at the man.  
  
Standing perfectly fine before you wasn't Zoro, but Mihawk.  
  
Mihawk with his giant ass sword and looking like he hadn't been battered and broken just the day before.  Mihawk looking as dangerous as ever and not even showing signs of broken bones or blood.  He looked like he hadn't even been hurt!  
  
Mihawk who was turning to look at you with his sharp eyes; eyes that showed no mercy and seemed intent on finishing something he started.  
  
You briefly wondered if you regretted saving him when you looked at those eyes.  
  
Because you were going to hate yourself if he ended up killing Zoro.


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now you guys are caught up! Updates will come as soon as I finish writing~

"You know?  This whole appearing out of nowhere thing?  It's really getting old," You hissed, pointing angrily at the male who practically towered over you like a mountain.  
  
The Hunter didn't reply, just stared at you apathetically.  
  
"This is, like, the third time you've done it.  It's very rude.  I can't walk into a room without you being there all menacing like."  You were babbling, but it was better then screaming and alerting Zoro.  Last thing you wanted to do was a repeat of the last inside fight.  You've already filled your 'drag a body through the snow' quota for the year, thank you.  
  
"Sit."  Mihawk replied back, gesturing towards one of the seats by the table.  
  
You crossed your arms and glared, "You're not the boss of me."  
  
" **Sit**."  He repeated, golden eyes narrowing.  
  
Scowling, you moved to the closest chair and plopped down, crossing your arms like a bratty child.  "You're lucky I _want_  to sit."  
  
Mihawk ignored this statement and sat in the seat across from you, leaning his large blade against the table next to him.  It really made you want to grab your baseball bat and do the same thing, to make things fair.  
  
"You still wish to protect the wolf."  
  
Resisting the urge to groan, you slouched in your seat and glared right back at him.  "Yes."  
  
"He's killed many before," Mihawk went on.  "What makes you think he won't dispose of you in the future?"  
  
"What makes you think that's any of your business?"  You hissed back, growing tired of this cat and mouse game.  All of this was ending now.  You wanted to go home and talk to your neighbor and go back to school and just enjoy time with Zoro.  
  
"I've been paid to make it my business,"  Mihawk stated in a matter of fact tone, which only made you angry.  
  
"And who paid you?"  Zoro asked, having made his way soundlessly down the hall.  
  
Mihawk's gaze slowly slid to the wolf, Zoro leaning against the wall and glaring right back at Mihawk.  
  
"I have no reason to give you my employer's name."  
  
"You will when I'm done with you!"  Hissing like a snake, you attempted to be a badass by flipping the table but Zoro was standing behind you now and had grabbed your wrists before you could even get a chance to grip the surface.  
  
"I can find him without your help," Zoro said while glaring at the man.  "I was a bounty hunter before you ever left your grave."  
  
Mihawk suddenly tensed, eyes narrowing at Zoro dangerously while his blank face switched to unamused.  You could practically feel the air shift in the room, going from tense to 'I'm gonna wreck your shit' in a matter of milliseconds.  You looked from Mihawk to Zoro and back then it suddenly dawned on you what Zoro had actually said.  
  
 _"I was a bounty hunter before you ever **left your grave."**  
  
_ "Wait!!" You slammed your hands on the table after freeing them from Zoro's grip.  "Are you a vampire?!"  
  
Your outburst startled the two, as if they'd just remembered you were there.  Your curious, wide eye stare only served to make Mihawk scowl, "No.  I'm not a vampire."  
  
"He wouldn't be able to enter the building without our permission," Zoro added.  "Plus, you would know a vampire when you saw one."  
  
You frowned and looked up at him, wondering if he would elaborate.  
  
"You would know," Zoro repeated, face deadly serious.  
  
"Then what is he?"  You asked, gesturing towards the man.  "Cause it'd be nice to know how the hell he can be standing right now."  
  
"It's not important," Mihawk answered smoothly, but Zoro wasn't having any of that.  In fact, he seemed to be enjoying the hunter's discomfort.  
  
"Oh no, tell her."  Zoro smirked, crossing his arms.  "You're already trying to convince her to get away from a wolf, why not inform her what else is out there?"  
  
You scowled, growing frustrated.  "Someone tell me something!!"  
  
Mihawk gave Zoro a very sharp look, his shoulders tense and hands itching to take up his sword.  But instead of starting a fight, he merely smirked at the wolf.  
  
"I planned to ask if she was truly serious about being your alpha," Mihawk replied, taking control of the conversation by throwing back another _now_ true fact.  
  
You gasped, "I knew it!!"  
  
Zoro looked startled, angry and....embarrassed?  His face was flushed as he looked away from Mihawk, sharp teeth grinding together.  "I have no idea what you're talking about."  
  
"Oh?  How was she able to survive your attack?  How was she able to revert you back to human without giving you an order?"  Mihawk asked with a tilt of his head.  
  
Zoro snarled, now looking extremely angry.  "She's my mate!!  I would do anything for her!"    
  
"We both know love cannot stop blind rage,"  Mihawk said with narrowed eyes.  "You have formed a pack with a human because you were lonely-"  
  
The wolf snarled, making you jump in surprise when he slammed his hands on the table in anger; sharp dagger like nails digging into the wood and leaving marks.  "She is my **_mate._** "  
  
You looked at him with concern, never seeing him so angry.  "Z-Zoro..."    
  
He glared at the table, breathing heavy and red eye glowing with rage.  Mihawk sat back in his chair and gestured towards the male while looking at you.  
  
"This is the madness of a lone wolf.  Without a pack they are left to wonder and slowly skew rules and norms around them.  No normal werewolf would form a pack with a human, doing so only brings death.  They are a dominant species and challenge each other often for that dominance.  What is to stop him from deciding one day to defy you?  To decide he should be in charge and to put you in your place?  He didn't harm you because you are alpha...but how long will that last?"  
  
Mihawk looked at Zoro who was continuing to breathe heavily, claws digging further into the wood, the digits looking longer then normal.  You could see the skin around his knuckles so pale and tight that it was a wonder he wasn't lashing out at this moment or turning completely wolf.  
  
"You are only walking down a hard path," Mihawk continued, staring at you with his sharp golden eyes.  "Staying with him will open many doors that only lead to misfortune.  Most possibly by this man here-"  
  
"I will never hurt her," Zoro interrupted softly, but his voice held conviction.  He looked up at the hunter, ruby eye glinting with so many emotions that it made your pulse quicken.  "She's my mate.  I will stay with her long after the end of time."  
  
You stared at Zoro, practically feeling the man's confident words rattle in your bones.  You didn't hesitate to place a hand on Zoro's arm and give it a squeeze, earning a hopeful look from the green haired male.  
  
"Alpha...Mate...I don't care what I am as long as I get to stay with you."   
  
It was incredibly cheesy, but so incredibly right.  You wanted nothing more then to hold Zoro's hand, hug his waist, cuddle into his chest, nip his neck, and brush your fingers through his hair.    
  
You wanted to _kiss_ him.  
  
This man who had so rudely barged into your life and stole your heart had made you putty in his hands, willing to do anything to see him happy.  
  
Mihawk crossed his arms and stared at Zoro, looking thoughtful.  "Your fear of hurting her is...admirable."  
  
"I don't care what you think," Zoro growled under his breath, but he instantly relaxed when you brushed your fingers over his arm.  
  
"My contract is void as of this moment," Mihawk sighed as he stood and grabbed his sword.  "I only hunt abnormal cases.  But if you are apart of a pack, then I have no reason to kill you."  
  
"W-What?"  You looked up at Mihawk with wide eyes, unable to believe what you were hearing.  
  
He stared at you both, though Zoro was glaring dangerously at the male as soon as he touched his weapon.  "Though it is a strange pack...as long as there is pack magic to keep it together then it is a pack."  
  
He walked to the door and opened it, ignoring the cold wind that blew through along with specks of snow.  "I will inform my employer that I let you go.  He will have to figure something else out."  
  
"Wait!"  You stood up, calling out to the man as he walked out of the house.  
  
Mihawk did not look back at you as he left the porch, merely calling out one final statement to you.  "I will keep in touch."  
  
You watched the man walk up towards the road and slowly disappear into the trees, leaving you to wonder how exactly he had gotten here.  You turned your gaze to Zoro to see him slouched over the table, leaning heavily on his arms as he breathed rigidly.  
  
"Zoro," You walked forward, reaching out to touch him.  
  
"I love you," He stated clearly, effectively stopping your hand in mid air.  
  
He looked up, eye flashing with too many emotions to count.  "I'm not with you because you're my alpha.  I'm with you because I love you."  
  
Was that what he was worried about?  That you were so insecure that you would worry if he really loved you or not?  You would happily go through the pain of being with him even if he just saw you as his alpha, you would do anything for him.  But you knew he loved you, you could feel it like strings tying together and pulling you two so close that no one would be able to cut through the thread.  
  
You smiled and walked towards him, slowly brushing his cheeks with your palms and pulling him into a deep kiss.  You made sure you were in control this time, pressing your body close to Zoro's while you massaged his tongue with your own.  His hands quickly found their way to your waist, gripping them possessively while also tugging them close to his own.  Smiling into his lips, you trailed your hands down his neck and to his chest, pawing at his body eagerly.  
  
The kiss felt like it had lasted for eternity before you finished it with a nip on his lips, tugging the bottom one gently with your teeth then letting go.  His heavy breath fanned over your face as he nuzzled his forehead into yours, eye closed as if he were replaying the kiss over and over in his head.    
  
"Zoro."  
  
He opened his eye at the sound of his name, the pupil dilated as if he had just experienced the best drug in the world.  
  
"I love you and I know you feel the same."   You placed your hand on his heart, feeling it beat in a steady rhythm.  "You're my mate, right?"  
  
Zoro watched the bright smile spread across your face, feeling his world brighten even more at the sight.  He grinned back, cupping your cheek and butting his forehead gently into yours.  "Right."  
  
  
~~~  
  
  
You closed the car door and grinned into the review mirror, glad to see the driveway behind you was clear and the roads cleaned after the snowfall.  You turned when Zoro sat in the passenger seat and closed the door, adjusting the chair so it was leaning back in a comfortable position.  Grinning, you watched his grumpy face as he tried to get it just right, loving the sounds of his grumbles.  
  
It had only been two days until the snowplows finally made it to your part of town, cleaning as quickly as possible and making it safe for travel.  Though you were happy to finally be able to go home, you felt the time at the cabin had been wonderful.  Every moment was spent with the wolf, whether just sitting in silence and nuzzling close or just talking at the table like old friends.  You two hadn't gone further physically like you had in the bathtub, but it felt right; like it was too soon to cross that invisible line and into a whole new level of intimacy.  Zoro seemed especially nervous about going too far, always looking away as soon as more of your skin was shown.  It was as if he'd never seen a girl before, but you were sure he wasn't some virgin.  No way the ladies would ever leave him alone.  
  
He was such a dork.  
  
"Put on your seatbelt fluff-butt," You teased, watching him scowl at his nickname.  
  
"I was going to," Zoro said, buckling up then crossing his arms.  You laughed and started the car, feeling like things were going your way.  You plugged your phone into the car charger, sighing in relief to see the screen flicker to life after being dead for so long.  You had no idea what time or day it was and it was extremely weird considering this age of technology.  
  
You hummed and unlocked the screen before screeching in shock.    
  
"What!?  What's wrong?!"  Zoro asked, trying to move close to see what had upset you.  
  
You released a breath and looked up, eyes wide in surprise as you held up the screen for him to see.  "Zoro.  It's Christmas Day!"  
  
  
~~~  
  
  
 _ **"What?"**_  
  
The man froze, keeping his formal bow low so he did not have to look his Master in the eyes.  He swallowed, feeling beads of sweat appear on his forehead as he felt the male's icy eyes on his form.  "S-Sir Mihawk has voided his contract.  He has sent word that the wolf still lives."  
  
Silence filled the dark chamber, tall skinny windows shining with moonlight and blinding the human from seeing his Master who sat on his throne.  The creature slowly shifted in his seat, glowing eyes narrowed with cold rage.  
  
"He lives...In my territory?"  
  
The subordinate stepped back in fear as the creature snarled in fury before kicking over a table decorated in fine china and vases with flowers.  The items crashed into the stone floor while the table flew into the wall and smashed into splinters.  
  
He watched his Master glare angrily at the mess, muscles tense as he hunched his shoulders.  He wished there wasn't more, he wished he could leave this creature to his rage so he could avoid the possibility of death.  
  
A very painful death.  
  
But magic beyond his comprehension compelled him to continue, unable to keep from lying from the male who had be-spelled him into a slave.   His mouth slowly opened, eyes wide in fear as sweat poured down his face.  "H-He..He says the reason why he didn't kill the wolf was because...because...."  
  
His Master looked over his shoulder, eyes narrowed and screaming for death.  
  
"B-Because he has an alpha-UUCCCKK!!!"  He was lifted off the ground, a hand clutched tightly over his throat as his Master glared up at him.  
  
"He has a __**what?** "  
  
The man whimpered, knowing he would possibly die today.  
  
"An a-alpha."  
  
And the last thing he remembered was the painful crushing of his airways and the look of eyes that could freeze hell over.


	17. Chapter 17

You passed through the group of bodies with difficulty, everyone laughing, dancing and just drinking where ever there was room in the cramped apartment.  It was much nicer then your place by a long shot, with it's modern art and clean white furniture where as you had scrounged for your couch from the neighbors upstairs; a couch they had left behind because winning the lottery tended to allow one to buy fancier furniture.

But that's not what we're here for.  You were just trying to get through the crowd without spilling your beers.  Something that was becoming extremely difficult when you felt some guy get particularly hands-y with your ass.  The jerk could have at the very least introduced himself to your cheeks before reaching second base.  You made quick work of him though, bumping into him hard and watching him stumble away and start to grope someone else.  Rude. 

  
You made it to the far wall next to the hallway where your grumpy dog glared at anyone who dared thought to make any kind of casual conversation with him.  

"Hey big guy," You greeted, hips bouncing to whatever club song the host had put on.

"Why are we here?"  He huffed, looking bored out of his mind.

"It's New Years Eve!  One must party on New Years," you said matter of factly.

"Why am **_I_**  here?"

You grinned at his tone and handed him the beer, his whole demeanor perking up instantly.  He drained the contents in one big gulp then squeezed the plastic cup in his hand.

"A little weak..."

You responded by blowing a party favor in his face, the paper unrolling and honking at him.  He snatched the cheap toy out of your mouth and tossed it somewhere without a glance.  You laughed at this then grabbed his arm with the intent of getting him into the middle of the room where people had deemed as the dance floor.

"Dance with me!"

Zoro looked reluctant, trying to pulled his arm free from your grip until you handed him the second drink.  He complied then, grinning and letting you do as you pleased while he took smaller gulps this time.  The wolf didn't so much as wiggle his hips while you danced to the music, merely drank his beer and watched you laugh and serenade him.

"Are you drunk already?"  He asked with a head tilt.

"Haven't had one yet!"  You shouted over the music, not caring how much of a weirdo you looked at the moment.  You were too excited about midnight to care how you looked, this being the first New Years you would actually have someone to kiss; someone you actually liked anyways.

Zoro stared at you over the rim of the drink, hiding his grin now while he placed a hand on your hip.  "If this is going to be a one sided dance, maybe I should just sit down?"

You stopped suddenly, the suggestion quickly forming as a picture in your head.  Zoro would be sitting in some plush armchair with his arms folded across his chest while you strutted around him before placing hands on his shoulders and start to squeeze them.  The fantasy went on to show you slowly climbing into the man's lap, him smirking at you while he placed his large hand on your hip and gave it a slow rub-

You smacked his chest with a laugh, "Pervert!!"

He smirked and finished the beer, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand before looking around.

"There's more in the kitchen," You pointed left then glared when he started to go right.  "C'mon you idiot."

Snatching his hand, you dragged him into the direction of the kitchen.  Inside was a good amount of people, though not as much in the living room, it was a pretty popular spot to be considering the drinks.

Oh, and the keg.

Mostly the guys were surrounding one another as they each took a turn at the thing, cheering whenever someone did better then the last.  It was a little frat-boyish, but who were you to tell them how to have fun?  The few girls in the room were grouped around the counters, talking and mingling while their boyfriends kept themselves busy with the keg.

You had to swat a few people out of the way to get to the table that held the liquor, not noticing Zoro stepping hard on a guy's foot for checking you out.

"Who are these people?"  The wolf asked while looking for anyone else who dared to get close to you, both of you stopping at the table where you looked over the cups, shot glasses, and liquor bottles.

"I have no idea," You shrugged, laughing at his annoyed look.  "Been a while since I've crashed a party, but I think we're doing pretty good so far."

Zoro rolled his eyes and quickly snatched up the whiskey, drinking directly from the bottle in large gulps.  Just watching made your throat clench and crave water.

"Don't do that!"

"Why?"  Zoro snarled, taking another swig while you tried to reach for the liquor.

"That's for everyone!"

The wolf grinned in satisfaction after his second drink, "Like I care."

You managed to finally snatch the bottle from your boyfriend, giving him a mock glare before following his example and taking a drink as well.  You coughed at first, only used to shots of the liquid, but then managed to keep it down when you finished.  You really wished for a chaser or something to wash the burning feeling out of your throat, but when Zoro tried to take the bottle back you sidestepped him and took another gulp of the liquor; intent on teasing him instead of shooting for a buzz...

A buzz that turned into a full on drunken haze.

Next thing you knew, you were taking a shots challenge with a group of girls who had been super nice to you and told you how cute you looked (all with slurred words).  Then you were dancing on a coffee table in the living room with a few of the same girls before taking _another_  shots challenge, and then the night ended with Zoro helping you walk down the street towards where your own apartment area was.

"Is it midnight yet?"  You asked with a slurred voice while Zoro made sure your arm stayed secured over his shoulder.

"It was two hours ago."

You groaned, "I wanted a _kissssssss_."

Zoro rolled his eyes and stopped walking, grabbing your chin to look at him before he gave you the kiss you wanted for the new year.  He didn't have to put too much effort into it considering how drunk you were, but he liked the idea of you waking up and remembering this; so he made sure it was good enough to make you cling to him.  You were easily pleased in this state, but if you hadn't been drunk you would have to say it was a damn good kiss.

He had cradled your face in his hand as he slowly forced you to lean back a little, arm wrapped around your waist to keep you upright.  Zoro's mouth pressed firmly into your own while your hands moved to his chest...then down...then you were trying to sneak your hands into the waistband of his jeans which made him end the kiss abruptly.   You whined but didn't push it, grinning that Zoro was flustered at your attempt to cop a drunken feel.  The wolf gave you a look that basically told you to behave then proceeded to help you down the street again.

"Question," You muttered after the two of you made it half a block.  "Are there different kinds of werewolves?"

He gave you a quick glance, "What do you mean?"

Face breaking out in a grin, you lolled your head onto his shoulder.  Zoro had to stop a moment when you started to slip and got you back onto your feet.  

"Different kinds of breeds!  Like...Is there some burly guy that got bitten and now he changes into a Pomeranian on the full moon?"

Zoro had to stop, staring down at you with a look that you couldn't decipher since you were pretty sure your eyes were a bit crossed.

"It's a legitimate _question_ ," You whined out.

"You're such a lightweight," Zoro grinned, making you huff and puff like a child.

"We can't all have alcohol for blood," You muttered, giggling when Zoro pinched your cheek in response.  

You two continued in your comfortable silence, just walking down the street towards your home where everything was perfectly normal....kind of.  As normal as five days of constant worry could provide anyways.

Once you both had returned home from the country, you had found everything just a mess.  Not only had you had to call a plumber and the landlord about your broken (sliced) sink, but you had to call work about your schedule, apologize to your friend for ditching her over the holiday rush, and message your mother about your reason for missing christmas.  You didn't want to think about the damages to your apartment would be or to the cabin where you were sure your dad would not be happy about seeing when he got home.  But you were sure you could pull a miracle out of your ass and pay for the damages before he realized there even were any.

That level of stress didn't even cover what you had been feeling ever since you had come back to the city.  You were sure there was going to be some new assassin on your heels, a monster lurking around and plotting to kill Zoro, or just the asshole who had hired Mihawk possibly coming after the two of you himself.  You had spent two days in bed hiding while Zoro just laid with you, not bothering to try and feed you false promises on how the guy would just forget you both and move on.  

Zoro was pretty blunt about the danger you two were in and he even said there could be injuries he can't prevent, but he was also confident that he could protect you from any kind of danger.  His conviction made you feel loads better and you had finally started to be normal again on the third day.

It wasn't until New Years eve that you decided you two needed some fun, so here you are.  Having fun without the worries of being maimed by some unknown force.

"Oi, this isn't my street."  You scowled, looked behind you then at Zoro.  "You took us the wrong way!"

Zoro snarled, "The directions were unclear."

"What directions?!  It's left or right then a straight shot!"

The two of you argued as you made your way back the other way, the fight turning playful the more it went on and ending with you clinging to him like a lovesick teen.  This was generally how your arguments ended, which was a good sign for your relationship; you'd hate to see what would happen if you two really got into it...

 

~~~

 

"Where are your keys?"  Zoro asked when you two made it to the apartment door.

You flashed him a smug look and wiggled your butt a little.  "In my back pocket~!"

The wolf didn't seem to think twice about reaching for the keys, hand digging around the tight pocket while inadvertently making you feel like a perverted mess; naughty thoughts of Zoro suddenly pushing you against the wall and doing all sorts of fun things to you.  But that didn't happen, in fact, he didn't even grope you!

"You are so vanilla," You whined as he unlocked the door, earning a confused look from him.  You waved a hand at him to forget it, deciding vanilla was a good flavor anyways; just think of all the delicious things you could add to vanilla compared to other flavors.

Walking inside, you unabashedly started to strip.  You took off your shirt first while you did your best to wiggle out of your pants, hopping around a bit until you were just in your underwear and bra.  You felt too tired and drunk to feel any sort of embarrassment and it seemed Zoro was trying his best not to openly stare, just kept his gaze on the couch while you headed towards the bedroom and plop face down onto the mattress.

You heard movement in the room, Zoro rifling around for something while you took up as much room as you desired, knowing Zoro would be forced to situate your lazy butt.  It was a fun game, making the wolf flush after every flash of skin you gave him or any time he had to touch you without clothes on - he would become the cutest mess in the world and you couldn't stop yourself at all.  You were sure you were going to make him snap one day, but you were never good at leaving things alone.

But instead of being pushed over to make room, Zoro had made you sit up before forcing a large shirt over your head, messing up your hair and making you huff.

"What are you doing?"  You frowned, looking down at the large green t-shirt that engulfed your form.  You briefly caught a whiff of a nice scent and realized this was one of Zoro's shirts.

"It's going to get cold tonight," He stated, fixing the collar so it wasn't just hanging off your shoulder.  He didn't seem to be at all embarrassed at your naked state this time, just concerned for your health.  

The simple action made you swell with pure affection before you launched yourself into his lap and smothered him with drunken kisses, both of you now laying on the bed and making out like honeymooners.

Vanilla was turning out to be the best flavor there is.

 

~~~

 

Ugh, it was snowing.

You could tolerate the flakes before and during Christmas, but after the holidays you didn't want anything to do with it.  Zipping up your jacket, you glared at the falling snow before closing the door behind you.  Zoro was still asleep so you figured you'd sneak out for some donuts to surprise him.

"______-chan."

You turned and saw Jinbei walking out of his home as well, bundled up and looking warm despite still wearing a kimono in this winter weather.  You grinned.

"Jinbei, how are you this morning?"  You watched him glare at the falling snow just as you had before he answered.

"As good as any other day," He adjusted his coat and looked at you.  "Did you enjoy your New Years?"

You puffed up your chest and smirked, "I may have crashed a party or two."

His eyes flashed, as if he knew something.  "Did you decide to bring anyone home?"

Your bravado quickly vanished and turned into a full on blush.  "I...Uh, no.  I mean-"

Jinbei laughed, "It was a joke, _______-chan."

You relaxed, feeling a bit bad that your neighbor didn't know what had happened to you or what would possibly happen.  You wished you could tell him everything, considering he had been there for you in tough times and deserved at least a heads up of possibly crazies coming after you.  But something always stopped you from speaking about it.  Feeling Jinbei would just think you were insane as soon as werewolves and monsters would come into play and you really didn't want to lose one of the few friends you had.

"I'm going to pick up some breakfast, want to walk with me?"  You smiled when Jinbei nodded, both of you talking leisurely as you went down the stairs and across the street where an old strip mall was located.  Everything around your neighborhood was a bit dated, the roads being murder on tires, street lamps flickered on and off, shady dealings in alleys and on corners.  But if there was one thing that made the area just a little bit enjoyable, it was the bakery across the street.

The place was always filled with fresh loaves of bread, grade A meat for sandwiches, and the best damn donuts you'd ever had in your life.  It was locally owned, but always busy.

There was already a long line inside the shop, people bundled up and ordering coffee and food for the work day.  You and Jinbei stepped into line and looked at the display case that held all the wonderful flavors of pastries that had been made for the day.

You resisted the urge to press your nose to the glass as you tried to figure out what to get Zoro, figuring he liked things a bit simple and drenched in alcohol.

"For someone who went out partying, you sure seem cheerful."  Jinbei pointed out as you bounced on the heels of your feet to see how many people were ahead of you.

"I made sure to drink a buttload of water."

He hummed, studying you.  "How did you get home?"

That stopped your gawking, now looking at Jinbei from the corner of your eyes.  "Well, I walked..."

"Alone?"

"A-A friend walked me home."  You quickly grinned, though a bit nervously, and waved the man off.  "Don't worry, Jinbei!  I made sure to make a plan before going out."

The man hummed at you and didn't press further, but you felt like he was suspicious about...something and you honestly weren't sure you wanted him to find out.

It was finally your turn, ordering a good dozen of different donuts and taking the box with you after Jinbei ordered a hot tea.  You both stepped out of the shop and towards the cross walk where a group of people were waiting for the light to change so they could cross the street.

"How's Bushido doing?"  

You grinned, "Still a fluffy ass.  But he's much more sociable now, doesn't even snap at the mailman anymore."

Zoro didn't need to be a wolf to still growl at the stranger from your window though.  He had explained to you that he just didn't trust him and you left it alone since it was probably a weird dog quirk he had.

"That's good," Jinbei nodded, sipping his tea.  "I would hate to see how he reacts when you bring a boyfriend home."

You sputtered out a nervous laugh, gripping the donut box while wave after wave of guilt smashed into you.  Maybe you should tell the man.  I mean, it wasn't really his concern, but he obviously cared about your well being and you just lying to him was only going to make things worse.

Damn it, why wasn't the light turning green yet?  You just wanted to get home so you could figure out a way not to feel like a complete jerk.  It almost made you want to jaywalk but you knew it would be a death wish considering how shitty the drivers were around here and how fast they went.

"Y-Yeah, but I'm sure he'd get used to him."

The walking sign finally changed, signaling everyone it was okay to cross the street.  You eagerly followed the crowd while Jinbei walked beside you.

"Yes.  I suppose he would...but if he were to hate him, what would you do?"

_'That would be impossible considering Bushido is my boyfriend,'_   You thought to yourself as you both made it to the other side of the street.   "I would ditch the guy I guess.  If Bushido doesn't like him then I don't like him."

"I suppose that's one way to look at it."  He looked thoughtful, "But your happiness is just as important as Bushido's.  He'll have to learn to be around other people." 

You frowned, not sure you could take much more.  "Jinbei, I-"

Before you could get through your sentence, you felt a sharp tug on the back of your jacket.  The force made you suddenly jerk backwards, stumbling off the sidewalk while the donuts fell from your hands and onto the ground.  Jinbei had quickly turned when he realized you weren't right next to him as you had been a second ago.  His eyes widened when he saw you stumble and fall back right into the street just after the light had changed.

You fell onto your butt and tried to get up, but the force kept you down on the ground; like your lower half was a magnet and the ground was it's opposite.  You attempted to stand again but froze when you saw an old pick-up truck suddenly in your field of vision, speeding right at you.  You watched in horror as it swerved just in time to avoid you, sliding into the other lane and almost crashing into another car.  You had thought you were safe and had even tried to stand again, but luck wasn't with you.  The car behind the large pick up hadn't seen you until the moment it had swerved into the other lane and it was already bearing down at you, it's occupants honking at you and trying to turn in time so they couldn't run you over.

"________-chan!!"


	18. Chapter 18

You could sit here and claim that your life flashed before your very eyes. That in your mind you could picture the earliest memory from childhood and up to the point you fell into the street to become the pavement's new coat of paint.  That you would look back and think _'I did something with my life'_ , or _'I wish I could have done so and so'_.  But that's not what happened.  You didn't think of your accomplishments, your friends, your family, not even Zoro.  You didn't even have a revelation about some meaningful question that had plagued you for the longest time.  
  
No, the thought that had popped into your head at that very moment was that your mother would be disappointed you hadn't gotten married yet.  
  
Weird right?  For one, what the fuck?  Two, you were way too young and amazing to get married right now, so she could just shove it.  But knowing your mother, she would just shake her head at your funeral and tsk at your coffin while dabbing at her eyes with a tissue.  
  
 _"This wouldn't have happened if she had gotten married to that doctor I introduced her to."_  
  
She would totally do that too.  How your life would have been comfortable and safe in some condo in Hawaii while your husband went off saving lives.  All the while you would audition for some reality TV show about tanned housewives who had no skills and needed something to do while their husbands ignored them.  And your mother?  She would totally tune into every episode and send you emails about your hair, clothes, and nails and give you tips on how to look better for TV.  
  
Let's just say you and your mother had a weird relationship and now you weren't sure if you liked where you stood with her at that moment.  Y'know, because you were about to die.  
  
You closed your eyes tight, wondering if you should loosen yourself up to minimize damage or just wait for the bright light that was waiting for you.  
  
Your body jerked suddenly and at first you thought the car had finally hit you, but then concluded cars don't have hands.  Strong hands that tried to tug you gently off the ground but weren't succeeding.  Opening your eyes, you stared right into a single red eye flashing in concern at you.    
  
Zoro had come.  
  
You were relieved, until you realized the car was coming at you both now.  
  
"Zoro!"  
  
He didn't say anything as he turned his head at the swerving car, it's side drifting easily on the snowy ground as the tail end slid right at you both.  He glared and put out a single hand, palm flat while he wrapped his other arm around your shoulders and shielded your body with his own.  The wolf had realized quickly that you couldn't get up so he was going to take the brunt end of the impact.  You didn't want him to get hurt, but you didn't have much of a choice since it was all happening so fast.  You could only dig your fingers into his chest and watch with wide eyes as the automobile finally closed in.  
  
But instead of barreling you both down, you witnessed the back end of the car stop as soon as it hit Zoro's hand.  The car tilted slightly from the sudden stop in force, it's tires on the other side lifting off the ground for just a moment before slamming back down onto the pavement.  The wolf's arm didn't even twitch, it stayed perfectly still right up until the car was finally immobile then he lowered it to check on you; trailing his fingers over your cheeks and forehead for any injuries despite successfully stopping a 3,000 pound machine.  
  
"Are you okay?"  Zoro murmured to you, tucking a strand of hair behind your ear.  
  
You only answered with a nod, too busy staring at the car and at the small dent where Zoro's hand had stopped it.  If you weren't so shocked by the whole situation, you would be praising your boyfriend for stopping it with just one hand.  
  
 _'Oh?  Your boyfriend can get tickets to Wicked when it's sold out?  My boyfriend can stop a fucking car.'_  
  
"_______-chan!"   
  
You looked up to see Jinbei running to your side, face pale and hands shaking as you knelt down to check you over.  Zoro didn't seem to like this since you could hear the small growl slowly rise in his throat, but you tugged gently at his shirt and he settled down a little and watched the Japanese man look you over.  
  
"Are you okay?  Where did it hit you!?!  We should call an ambulance!"  
  
His concern for you made you feel all fuzzy inside and you tried to assure him you were fine, but the words wouldn't come out.  This confused you so you tried to just give him a thumbs up, but even your fingers refused to listen and just cling to Zoro's shirt with a death grip.  And then you noticed your legs were shaking and your teeth chattering together as if you were freezing.  The next thing you knew, you were sobbing right there in the middle of the street.    
  
You hated crying.  Because you were what they called an ugly crier; your eyes got all puffy while snot was ready to dribble out of your nose, your face scrunched up like some newborn child and annoying gasps came from your heaving chest.  You wished you could be one of those actors on TV who cried so elegantly while their make-up remained perfect; but no, you were sure whatever make-up you had on was smeared on your face and made you look like some vagrant.  It was probably mascara from last night too, how embarrassing.  
  
"Oh my god!   _ **OH MY GOD I HIT SOMEONE!!!**_ "  Someone crying louder then you was running around the car from the driver's side and towards the growing group of bystanders.  She appeared to be in her late teens and was already looking like she was berating herself for committing a great sin.  It was becoming more and more obvious she hadn't had her license for long by the way she was rattling on about how sorry she was and if you needed insurance information or something.  
  
You couldn't really blame her though, driving school didn't really teach you what to do in this kind of situation.  
  
"Are you okay!?  Did you die?!  I'm so _sorrrrrrrrrrrry!!!_ " She was wailing now, looking ready to pull out her hair despite you having no injuries.  It was becoming clear that perhaps she needed to see a doctor considering how faint she looked.  
  
Soon half the crowd was consoling both you and the driver while the other half was either walking off to continue their day or pulling out their phones to take videos to post online.  It felt like hours before Jinbei finally convinced the driver that you were perfectly fine and that the car didn't even hit you.  You secretly hoped she didn't check too closely and see the hand sized dent on the rear door.  Once she was done crying, she shakily got back into her car after you refused to take her information and slowly merged back into traffic.  What sucked was that she would probably replay this incident over and over for the next few months and fear driving the rest of her life.  
  
You?  You were probably going to stay inside the rest of your life...  
  
As soon as the teen had driven off, you'd realized you could finally move.  Whatever had held you down had vanished and now you could get out of the street.  Zoro had helped you up while your knees knocked together, still a bit freaked over the whole event.  
  
Next thing you knew, you were stumbling back to your apartment where you were forced to sit at the kitchen table, a cup of water placed into your hands which you gulped down greedily.  Zoro had pulled up a chair right next to you and had his hand placed on your leg, giving it a little rub every now and then while he watched you carefully.  Jinbei was checking you over again, using his limited medical training the best he could as he murmured to himself.  
  
"We need to call an ambulance," Jinbei suggested for the fourth time.  "She could be really hurt."  
  
"It didn't hit her."  Zoro replied back with a scowl, annoyed the man was still in your apartment.  Over the course of the event, you had realized no one had really seen what the wolf did to stop the car.  This was because the vehicle had skidded to the side just enough to block the crowd's view of your boyfriend's ~~heroic~~ _ **badass**_ gesture.  
  
Jinbei glared, "Something stopped that car."  
  
Zoro didn't reply, just glared right back with a glint of anger in his red eye.  They both stared at one another for a long pause before Jinbei looked away, even appearing ashamed that he had broken eye contact first while Zoro smirked at his obvious dominance.  
  
"I-I'm fine Jinbei."  You piped up, finally finding your voice.  "Really."  
  
"_______-chan.  Even if it didn't hit you, you're still in shock."    
  
His concern made you feel bad.  Like, EXTREMELY bad that you were back to feeling like a huge jerk.    
  
You gave him a weak smile and reached out to pat his shoulder, not noticing how shaky your arm looked when you did this.  "It's okay.  I think I can make it."  
  
He looked ready to fight the issue some more but he didn't, just look at you with worry until his gaze slid back to Zoro.  Jinbei's eyes narrowed as if finally noticing the other male in the room.  Zoro was already glaring right back, ready to win any stare down until your neighbor nodded to him.  
  
"Dog."    
  
Zoro looked startled for a moment, but then he processed it and looked even more suspicious of the male.  
  
"You're....human."  
  
Jinbei nodded and grabbed his coat, glancing at your weary face.  "I won't pry, ______-chan.  But if you ever need to talk about things, I am a willing ear."  
  
You watched as your neighbor gave you a supportive smile then leave your apartment, raising more questions and answering none.  You just stared at the front door, unsure if you should go bring him back or just deal with it later.  You seemed perfectly content to sit in silence for a bit longer, but Zoro was closer now and forcing you to look at him, hands on your cheeks and forehead bumping into your own.  
  
His eye was closed and he looked like he wanted to say something but held it back with some force of will.  The wolf took deep, calming breaths while he gripped your face, his claws just barely digging into your skin.  It was then you realized just how upset he was.  
  
"Z-Zoro, I'm fine."  
  
"I know."  He didn't open his good eye, just stayed like that a moment until his shoulders finally relaxed and his hands dropped to your shoulders.  "I just felt your fear...I hated it.  I didn't know where you were and I thought I wouldn't make it in time."  
  
Felt your fear?  He could do that?  
  
"Tell me what happened."  Zoro finally looked at you with that beautiful ruby eye of his, while his forehead was still pressed against your own.  
  
You told him everything you could, from the moment you left the apartment with Jinbei and up to the point where you felt something tug you right into the street.  How you couldn't move and then how one car had almost ran you over, then relaying up to the point when Zoro had arrived.  You even included how you dropped the donuts, the delicious, expensive donuts that were meant for breakfast.  
  
Zoro's face remained blank as you said all this, eye distant as he processed everything.  It wasn't until a few seconds later that he finally said something.  
  
"Magic."  
  
"W-What?"  You were lost, hoping Zoro would enlighten you on his thoughts.  
  
"Only magic could do something like that..."  He scowled as his nostril flared in annoyance, "It would explain the smell in this city."  
  
"So, a-are we talking _Harry Potter_  magic or something?"  Werewolves and vampires existed, so surely magic had to as well.  But it was just too weird that something like magic had forced you into the street.  Your idea of magic came from fiction; people throwing fireballs, lifting furniture, raining down curses, etc.  You didn't think someone tugging you into the street would be considered strong compared to all that...  
  
He shook his head, "The level of magic depends on the person and what they did to gain that power.  White witches are always weak.  They can only heal minimal injuries and spread a little luck.  Black witches can do a lot more and they usually have to sacrifice lives to do what they need to.  Animals, people, whoever they can to perform what spell they need to."  
  
You gulped, face blanched as you tried to ignore all the possibilities of someone getting hurt just so you could get splattered all over the pavement.  
  
"No doubt our enemy either has magic and is finally making a move or they hired someone to do it for them."  Zoro looked thoughtful, "I'm not sure how though since they would need a piece of you to force you into something."  
  
"A p-piece of me!?"  
  
He nodded, "Most likely hair or fingernail clippings."  
  
You let out a noise of disgust, reaching up to pat your hair as if fearing it had all fallen out.  "That's gross.  They're gross!"  
  
Zoro sighed and leaned his chin against his hand on the table, looking frustrated.  "It doesn't give us much of a lead to who this person is though."  
  
"It doesn't?"  You stopped your preening to stare, wondering if there were just too many witches around to narrow down the culprit or none that he knew of.  "You can't, like, smell it and track them down or something?"  
  
He shook his head, "Magic only leaves small traces, especially if the user knows what they're doing...no, this place is too weird even if they didn't know how to cloak themselves."  
  
You frowned, "Weird?"  
  
Zoro glared at the wall, fangs looking a little longer then normal as he snarled at nothing.  "Every place I go to has a population of freaks.  Monsters like me that hide or work to pull strings in the government or just live out their lives normally.  Here?"  
  
He looked at you now, "I haven't smelled a single creature other then human in this entire city."  
  
"Isn't that a good thing?"  You asked, head tilting in confusion.  
  
"No."  He went back to glaring at the wall.  "It's...wrong.  Someone or something has either hidden them or forced them out."  
  
You watched as he looked angry, finger tapping a little against his chin.  "Only powerful beings can do something like that....something dangerous is living here and it only wants humans around."  
  
Your hands gripped your knees, feeling jittery all over again.  "B-But...why?  What good are we?"  
  
Zoro, despite how blunt he was, looked a little reluctant to answer.  "...Food."  
  
Nausea welled up inside you.  Churning and burning your chest and making you want to run to the bathroom and puke until images of someone eating people were wiped from your mind.  
  
Zoro was suddenly gripping your face again and forcing you to look him right in the eye.  His ruby gaze looked angry and determined while he moved closer once more.   
  
"Look at me **.** "  
  
You took deep breaths, gaze unable to leave Zoro's.    
  
"You're **safe.** "  
  
You reached out and clutched the front of his shirt, eyes wide and body shaking.  "I-I'm scared."  
  
Zoro moved closer, not letting loose his grip on you as he spoke again, his words feeling like they were magic itself and settling over you with soothing waves.  
  
" **I won't let anyone touch you. _Not as long as I live._** "  
  
The nausea slowly ebbed away as a new flood emotion washed over you.  Anger, courage, loyalty, possessiveness, and love.   _Especially_ love.  
  
You were confused by these feelings, sure you had just been shaken and scared.  You felt like you had no reason to be this angry; or even this strange need to do whatever was asked of you, no matter how impossible the task sounded.  It was a swirl of emotions that seemed much too strong to be your own that you had to place your hands on your own chest and take deep breaths to calm down what felt like an anxiety attack.  
  
Zoro's eye suddenly lit up, looking almost like an excited child at your confusion.  "You can feel it?"  
  
You stared at him, breath hitching like you had the hiccups.  "W-What?"  
  
"Me!"  
  
You gawked, "What the hell are you talking about?!"  
  
Zoro looked relieved, pulling you into a hug and holding you tight as he talked more to himself now.  "I thought maybe because you were human...it was one sided for so long."  
  
" _Zorooooooo!!_ "  You whined, now feeling nothing but love and calm settle over you now.  You wanted to know what was happening and why he seemed so happy.    
  
The wolf's hand started to pet the back of your head, fingers combing through your hair while he smiled and buried his face in your neck.  You were sure if he had a tail right now it would be wagging and thumping against the chair loud enough for everyone to hear.  
  
"Our pack bond is working.  You can read my emotions."  He chuckled, as if the previous discussion was just a distant memory and nothing compared to this new discovery.  
  
"W-What?"  You were still so confused.  
  
He pulled away, his grin a little smaller as he tried to find a way to explain it to you.  "Werewolves aren't magical creatures.  We're mostly physical beings that rely on strength and speed.  Other creatures have their own magic and only a handful of humans are descendants of witches.  We have the least amount of magic compared to most."  
  
Zoro leaned back in his chair, but he took your hand in his own and gripped it.  "The magic we do have is pack magic.  The alpha has the ability to feel the others in the pack when they allow it and vice versa.  It's helpful if one is in trouble and needs assistance.  It's also used to calm one another down in times of stress and even accelerate healing by exchanging energy."  
  
"W-Wait...So, I'm really feeling what you're feeling?"  You weren't sure if you were comfortable with that or not.  You could barely handle your own mess of emotions, just what the hell were you going to do if you suddenly became a grump!?  
  
Zoro grinned widely, looking proud of you.  "Yes."  
  
"Uuuuuuughhhhhh!"  At this point you just wanted to lay on the ground and let yourself gather dust.  Everything was happening too fast now and you wouldn't mind hibernating for the rest of the year.  Zoro only laughed, the asshole.  
  
You suddenly looked up, face pale and sweating nervously as you asked your next (awkward) question.  "Wait, so...every time I felt... _needy_....?"  
  
Zoro shifted, suddenly looking interested at the magnets on your fridge.  
  
"Oh my _**god**_!!!!"  
  
This was so fucking embarrassing.


	19. Chapter 19

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yes, another one.
> 
> DON'T JUDGE MEEEEEEEE!!

♪  Hello bathtub, my old friend.  ♫

"________, come out." Zoro growled on the other side of the door, jiggling the handle to the bathroom while you slumped in the tub.

"No!  I can't ever show my face again!"

Zoro scowled, at least it felt like he was scowling at you.  "I didn't feel it all the time-"

"But you knew it was happening!!  I'm the most obvious pervert in the world!!"   You knew you were acting like a child, but damn it, this was probably the most embarrassing thing to ever happen in your life!

"Open the door."

"I don't wanna!"  What you really wanted was a nice katana to commit seppuku.  It's where you drive a sword through your stomach, something about honorable suicide or whatever, you just wanted it!

You were interrupted from your musings when you heard something crack.  Looking up, you saw the handle to the bathroom door being pulled out, the wood splitting and breaking as the metal knob was ripped right out of it's socket.  Your eyes widened when Zoro swung open the door and strode in with a glare, looking around until his eye landed on you in the tub.

"You broke my door!"

The wolf didn't answer, just stomped towards you.

"Zoro!  I have to pay for that-"  He pushed his hands under your arms and lifted you up with ease, your feet barely dangling off the porcelain tub as he glared up at you.  You weren't really sure what he was planning to do, but you didn't want to stick around to deal with it.  You tried to flail yourself free but he kept you from escaping; clearly stronger, taller, and over all too sexy to let you go.  Damn it, he probably felt that perverted thought...

Suddenly you were hit with a wave of arousal.  

Yes, a _**wave**_  of _**arousal**_.  

At first it was just heat, spreading from your abdomen and crawling up to your chest and down your legs.  It felt like fingers brushing down between your thighs and to your calves before sliding back up and outwards until it practically engulfed your whole body.  Then it tingled and you had to tense up or else you were sure you would turn into a puddle of goop.  Your face turned red with pleasure while your hands quickly latched onto Zoro's forearms, not realizing that he was pulling you close to his chest and clutching you tightly while his face burrowed itself into your hair.

Your toes curled and your hands flew up to wrap around his neck, body rocking gently into him as another wave quickly hit you.  This time it'd become clear that this was not your own lust, but Zoro's.  It just made the whole thing more perverted and naughty and holy shit this was too much.  Good bye, cruel world.

Zoro's hand was now resting on your lower back, rubbing it gently while his other one kept itself wrapped tightly around you.  He inhaled your scent, growled, then did it again.  

"It's not shameful to feel this way."

Damn it, his voice was husky now and it only added to the experience.  You felt like a cat, just wanting to rub against him and whine for attention.

His hand moved to curl itself into your hair and tugged lightly, making you look him in the eye.  "Now stop being a baby."

You pouted, resting your chin on his chest and hugging him tighter.  "That was a dirty trick."

The wolf smirked, fangs glinting deviously.  "Playing fair doesn't win the war."

You were now determined to figure out this pack bond thing so you could get back at him.  But first, you were going to kiss this sexy jerk.

 

~~~

 

"So, what do we do now?"  You laid across Zoro's lap on the couch, laptop resting on the cushion as you surfed the web while the wolf just laid back with his eyes closed; both of you just enjoying each other.

He was quiet a moment, face scrunching up a little in thought.  "I can probably do a little digging...maybe the next town over can give us some information about this place."

You looked over your shoulder at him.  "You think they'd know?"

Zoro nodded, "They probably have an idea on why this place is supernatural free."

You made a face and went back to scrolling through pictures of dogs, mainly Pomeranians (the internet was boring today).  "We could always ask Jinbei.  If he knew you were a werewolf, then maybe he knows what's going on around here."

"We don't need _his_  help," Zoro sneered, glaring at the ceiling now.

You had meant to type in 'great Pomeranians' but accidentally put in 'green' and was greeted with pictures of people dumb enough to spray paint or dye their dogs fur.  "Why don't you like Jinbei?  He saved your life."

Zoro shifted, crossing his arms.  "We just don't need him."

You rolled your eyes, "That's stupid.  He's been nothing but helpful."

"He should mind his own business," Zoro scowled, sounding more like a child.

You clicked on a picture of a green moss ball looking thing that was littered in the pictures of green animals, curious as to what the hell it was.  "If you think he's hitting on me, you don't have to worry.  I'm pretty sure Jinbei plays for the other team."

Zoro looked down at you, confusion clear on his face.

"He's gay."  You said bluntly, visiting some Japanese page.

The wolf scowled, "I wasn't worried about that."

He knew you would never leave him for another guy, mainly because your feelings for him were obvious and also because he was confident that he could keep you interested in only him.

"Then what are you worried about?"  You frowned, reading up on the green algae.

Zoro didn't really answer, just sighed and went back to looking at the ceiling.  Just when you thought he was done with the conversation he muttered something under his breath, so low that you couldn't hear him.

"What?"   You turned over on your side to look up at him, noticing his face slightly flushed pink in embarrassment. 

"...help....apart....myself...."

  
"Zoro, I can't hear you."  You poked his stomach and wondered what the hell was up with him.

The wolf turned to glare down at you, face completely flushed now.  "I said I don't want him to help or you'll let him into our pack!"

You gazed up at him with a look of disbelief.

He huffed, "I just want it to be the two of us."  Zoro then looked away, eye closed again as frustration spread over his face.  "...I don't want to share."

There was a small moment of silence before you laughed, immediately making him feel like a giant dork.  You could tell too because it practically bled through the bond; you may not be good at feeling his subtle emotions, but the strong ones were always loud and clear.  It was like that near death experience finally opened up a pathway for you to feel these things from him and it definitely made your life more interesting.

"You're such a brat~!"

Zoro snarled at you, more embarrassed that you called him out on his attitude.  Maybe you didn't need the pack bond to get back at him after all.

"What are you looking at anyways?!"  He snapped at you, quick to change the subject.

You turned back to look at the website to answer, but stopped when you looked at the picture of the moss ball.  Then you turned to look at Zoro, then back to the page.  Your mouth formed into an 'O' before you moved your gaze back to the wolf and pointed at the picture.

"You're a marimo!!!"

Zoro twitched and quickly stood up, the action making you roll off his lap and onto the floor with a loud thud.  The wolf stepped over you and stomped to the bedroom to brood or whatever while you just laid on the floor and giggled like an idiot.  

Even though you two were in deep paranormal shit, you knew the little moments like this made everything seem just fine.

 

~~~

 

After much consideration, you decided not to skip out on work the next day.  You really needed the money to pay off your next round of bills and Zoro breaking your door certainly didn't help.  Even if you had almost died the day before, responsibility was waiting to kick your ass.

"Don't give me that look," You hissed, picking up your backpack to take with you.  Zoro glared right back, having changed into a dog as a form of protest at your leaving.

His tail merely thumped against the couch as he watched you go to the door and pull out your keys.  "I'll be back in a few hours.  Try not to attack the mailman."

The dog scoffed, offended that you thought he couldn't behave.

You gave him one last look before leaving, hoping Jinbei would call you if Zoro was found maiming the poor guy's arm.  Everything should be fine.  Just fine.

Stepping down the stairs, you sighed when you looked at the sky, the sun not high enough to fully light up the morning sky.  You made your way to your car and slipped inside then stared at your steering wheel.  

The temptation to get right back out and go back to your apartment quickly took over, feeling like you should just skip today and hang out with your boyfriend instead.  You thought about this for a moment then started your car.  You turned up the heat and adjusted your rearview mirror before smirking at your reflection.

"Nice try, Zoro."

Of course the dork would try to persuade you to stay through the bond.  He didn't like playing fair.

 

~~~

 

Even though Zoro said there were no other supernatural creatures in the city, you couldn't help but look at every person who walked through your store with a critical eye.  Every time you heard the ding of the door opening you would quickly turn to look at the person and wonder if they were human or not.

That teenager could be some fairy coming to buy a gaming system.  That mother of two might be a mermaid or whatever, picking up fabric softener while her children ran around her cart.  That old man over by the TVs might be hiding his true form which could very well be a handsome elf prince.

Anyone could be anything.  It definitely made your world feel even bigger then it had been before Zoro.

"Oi, _______."

You turned, seeing your friend glaring at you while she tapped her foot.  

"Quit staring at the customers already, you're supposed to help them find what they need, not be a creep."

"Ah, sorry.  Guess I kind of zoned out," You laughed weakly.  She glared at you, still miffed that you left her to deal with the holiday rush alone.

"So, are you going to take me to dinner or what?"

Oh yeah, dinner.  You'd promised her when you had returned home.  "Yeah, if you still want to.  Did you want to go after work?"

"No, I got a hot date."  Just mentioning it seemed to make her brighten up, no longer looking angry with you.  She eagerly pulled out her phone to show you pictures of her new boo.

You defeatedly looked at her boyfriend of the month, knowing it would make her happy to gush about it.  You probably would have done the same thing if you were in her shoes, but Zoro...well, you didn't want to share him yet.  

He was different; ironically and literally.  

"He's taking me to that fancy restaurant uptown~!"  She giggled and continued to go back through her photo album, sighing over the pictures of the handsome man. 

"Oh?"  You said on cue, not really paying attention.  Some old woman was trying to reach for an item on the top shelf, almost getting it but accidentally pushing it further back instead.

"It's called _Baratie_!  I hear all the chefs there are amazing and the food is to die for~."

The old woman was definitely needing some help.  "I'll be right back."

"We're going to eat by candle light and look out at the starry sky, just like in the movies~!"

She ignored you but you just walked off, knowing she would still be talking about her date when you came back.  You made your way into the aisle and smiled at the older woman.  She had been trying to grab the roll of toilet paper and still failing, but she stopped when you finally made it to her side.

"Do you need help, ma'am?"

"Oh, yes, please."  She gave you a creaky smile, much like a grandmother would her grandchild.  Sometimes this job was bearable.

Grinning back just as widely, you stood on the tips of your toes and reached for the product, able to snatch it by the plastic thanks to your semi long nails.  You had pulled it off the shelf just as the hanging light above you flickered.  You looked up curiously to see the light fixture swinging leisurely before suddenly snapping.

Before you knew what was happening, you were tackling the old woman to the floor just as the lamp fell and smashed into the ground; the bulbs shattering into a thousand pieces and spreading over the floor while the wires in the ceiling sparked before completely dying.

You stared wide eyed at the broken fixture, a crowd quickly forming to see what had happened.  No one seemed to know what to do, some of the employees were running around and trying to find a manager while your friend pushed her way through the crowd to check on you.

Despite the growing excitement and loud group, you couldn't hear a thing; merely stare at the broken fixture with an increasing sense of dread.  Then you felt movement under you and realized that you were sitting on top of the poor old woman who looked to be in severe pain.

" _My back....._ "

Fuck.


	20. Chapter 20

"You sure you weren't a linebacker in your past life?"  Your friend asked, watching them load up the old woman into the ambulance.  
  
You held your head in horror, the vehicle's doors slamming shut and sirens turning on as they prepared to leave.  "Oh my god, I hope she's okay!"  
  
"You took her down pretty good," the shorter girl held up her hands and twisted them quickly in one smooth motion.  "Her head snapped back, just like this."  
  
"Will you shut up!?!"  You hissed, not even at work for two hours and already wanting to strangle her.  
  
She shrugged, "I'm just saying.  Not like you did it for laughs - that light could have killed you both."  
  
You groaned and pulled at your hair, feeling incredibly guilty for this entire mess.  Not only had you almost died again, but they almost took someone out with you.  These people certainly didn't care if there were casualties.  Shit, you felt horrible and angry and frantic and it was _waaaaaaay_  too much to handle.   
  
"Hey, who's dog is that?"  
  
Your head jerked up and looked around until your coworker pointed to the other side of the street where a black dog was pacing back and forth.  
  
"Zoro!"  Before anyone could stop you, you were crossing the road just after the ambulance drove off, sirens wailing while the crowd in front of the store watched.  
  
You grew more and more worried the longer it took you to make it across the street, heart pounding viciously in your chest and fingers twitching and wanting to hold onto someone.  You quickly realized that these weren't just your emotions, but Zoro's as well; which only made you feel worse because you were both freaking out times two.  Though, at least it was becoming easier to figure out which were your emotions and which were Zoro's.  His had a distinct feel, like you were laying under the warm sun on a summer day.  It made you want to...nap.  
  
You stepped onto the sidewalk and was almost toppled over when the wolf barreled right into your legs with his head, keeping it there for a moment while you tried to catch your balance, then proceeded to sniff you all over.  
  
"Zoro, what are you doing here?"  You cooed, bending down to pet his head.  
  
He looked up and lightly licked your cheek.   
  
"I'm fine.  Really."  
  
His ears folded back, good eye shining with uncertainty.  
  
Giving him a reassuring smile, you leaned in and hugged his neck, which he seemed to like this because his tail started to wag.  
  
You sighed and just kind of held him a second as he started to calm down; feeling his anxiety, worry, and anger vanish.  You even brushed his fur with your fingers, scratching the scruff of his neck until you felt something small tangled in his hair.  You snagged the item and tugged a little until it came out, staring at it questioningly while turning it over in your hand.  
  
It was glass.    
  
What was glass doing in Zoro's fur?  He didn't seem to be hurt, but what the hell?  
  
Then you looked at the wolf with narrowed eyes, immediately suspicious.  
  
Zoro was in his dog form, just as you had left him.  It was a fifteen minute drive to work and he was here in under an hour and didn't even take the time to change into a human.  Just how the hell did he get out of the house without opening the door?  Then you pictured your living room window and twitched, realizing he must have jumped right through it without a second thought to come to your rescue.  Not only were you going to have to fix the doorknob in the bathroom, but now the living room window.  
  
"Zoro....I am not a rich woman."  
  
  
~  
  
  
"Oh good lord," You groaned, staring at the shattered glass spanning the concrete right in front of your apartment.  It looked like no one had reported it yet since the landlord wasn't around shouting at you; honestly, you weren't sure if you were grateful considering you could have also been robbed.  
  
Zoro didn't seem to really care about the mess, just walking over the glass like nothing before jumping through the very window he broke to get inside.   _That little-!!  
_  
"______-chan?"  
  
You looked up to the neighbor's door, seeing Jinbei walk out of his apartment with a broom and dustpan.  He caught you staring and held them up a little.  
  
"I heard the crash and saw the dog leaving, so I figured I'd clean up."  
  
It was official, Jinbei was your precious cinnamon roll.    
  
"Give me a sec."    
  
You quickly went inside and grabbed your broom before going back out, Jinbei already starting by sweeping the glass off to one side.  You moved to his side and promptly started to clean, both working silently for a few minutes before you started to feel the awkwardness creep in.  
  
"So..."  You leaned against your broom and looked at him.  "You knew?"  
  
He continued sweeping, "Yes."  
  
"How long?"    
  
Jinbei straightened up and looked thoughtful for a moment.   "I suspected something was wrong when you suddenly left for that trip.  I assumed it was a family matter, so I didn't pry."  
  
The man was silent a moment, going back to sweeping a little before he spoke again.  "Then I would sometimes see you leaving your apartment with a man frequently.  I would catch glimpses of him and feel like a memory was triggering but then it finally clicked a few days ago."  
  
He looked up and grinned, tracing a line down his left eye.  "It's not hard to put two and two together.  When a man has the same scars as a dog, one comes to a conclusion."  
  
You made a face, "That is the weirdest conclusion ever.  I wouldn't think dog-man if I saw a guy have the same scars as an animal's."  
  
"Ah, but there were other factors," He leaned against his broom, looking like he was enjoying all this.  "You had left for your trip with one of my robes, that was a bit strange but I didn't put too much thought into it until I realized the state of your apartment."  
  
He then explained that he had arrived home to the landlord banging on your apartment door demanding to see you.  When you didn't answer Jinbei had offered to call you (at this point your phone had died) and when you hadn't answered the landlord had used his key to get inside.  Once they walked in, the landlord went straight to the bathroom to check on the leak the downstairs neighbors had complained about.  Jinbei spent this time to stay in the living room and continue to try and call you.  That was when he had noticed the long crack in your living room.  He had studied it closely before realizing it was actually a cut made from a sword.  
  
"How did you know it was from a sword?"  
  
You both looked to the window to see Zoro standing there, wearing only a pair of jeans and looking a bit grumpy.  You'd come to notice he was always grumpy after changes, but that was to be expected if it hurt as much as the wolf said it did.  It always took him at least three minutes to fully change and just the thought of one's own body rearranging into a new one for a whole three minutes sounded painful.  
  
Jinbei grinned, "I've seen a sword cut before."  
  
He looked at you with amusement and you quickly blushed and went back to sweeping.  
  
"Let's just say a certain someone isn't allowed to bring historical objects into her apartment."  
  
You scowled, "I-I was just wanted to see how heavy it was!"  
  
Zoro looked a little bit amused as he stepped through the window, walking barefoot on the glass and not at all caring.  
  
"Oh, Zoro."  You sighed, wishing he would wear some shoes.  
  
"A werewolf is still a big leap," Zoro put his hands in his pockets and stared at your neighbor, assessing him as he tried to figure something out.  
  
"One notices when their neighbor has someone suddenly living with them, someone who would sneak out and walk into the woods on a full moon."  
  
Wait, what?  You looked at Zoro questioningly, but the wolf wasn't looking at you, just studying Jinbei.  You frowned, having not realized he had snuck out at all.  Actually....You never thought about it, but what does happen to him on the full moon?   
  
The thought was kind of silly.  I mean, wouldn't one know what their werewolf boyfriend did on the night of a full moon?  The obvious conclusion would be that he would transform into a snarling, angry beast at the sight of the giant orb, but you were positive nothing was different when Zoro was with you on a full moon.  It's been, what, three full moons with nothing happening?  Hell, you were sure you both had been moon gazing one of those nights!  But Zoro had been sneaking out?  That was something you'd have to look into...  
  
"So, what you're telling me is that you've never met another supernatural creature before?"  The wolf went straight to the point, looking a bit annoyed.  
  
"Correct."    
  
You marveled at your neighbor, looking so calm even after finding out werewolves existed.  You had been a crazy mess when you'd found out about Zoro...then again, Mihawk had been trying to kill you as well.  
  
Zoro glowered, now looking disappointed at Jinbei's answer.  "Then this was a waste of time if you don't know anything."  
  
"Zoro!"  You glared at the wolf who didn't look the least bit sorry.  
  
"He's useless if he doesn't have any information about the city."  
  
"The city?"  Jinbei looked at you both in confusion and you sighed before explaining the whole situation to your neighbor, all the while, Zoro leaned against the wall and continued to be a grump.  Once you were finished, Jinbei looked a lot more worried then before.  
  
"So...someone...put a spell on you?  Someone is trying to _kill_  you?!"  
  
Well, when he put it that way, you kind of felt bad for telling him anything.  "I'm fine-!"  
  
"_____-chan!"  Jinbei interrupted in a stern, angry voice, "You were almost hit by a car yesterday!"  
  
And crushed by a lamp today.  "Yes.  But Zoro-"  
  
"Won't be there all the time," He narrowed his eyes at you.  
  
"I know that!"  You were getting a little pissy now, but more so that Jinbei was worrying over you.  
  
The older man stood up straight, practically towering over you as he crossed his arms to glare.  The sight made you suddenly feel edgy, as if you were ready for Jinbei to lunge at you and attack.  Then you noticed that Zoro wasn't leaning against the wall though, standing perfectly straight and still as he flashed his red eye at your neighbor.  
  
Oh shit, deep breaths.  You quickly calmed down, realizing you were mixing signals with Zoro and now he was probably going to attack Jinbei and you **did not** want that!!  The wolf probably saw this as some challenge on his alpha or whatever and was waiting for the signal to destroy.  You gave your boyfriend a look, telling him to calm down, all the while Jinbei not noticing the silent exchange.  
  
"I want you to take this seriously."    
  
You turned to look back at your neighbor, annoyed again but you quickly tried to be calm so Zoro didn't antsy.  "I am being serious about this.  I just don't see the point in letting it stop me from living my life."  
  
Jinbei frowned, looking less angry.  "I just want you to be safe..."  
  
Your shoulders relaxed a little, "I know...but there's no real way to avoid something when I don't know it's coming."  
  
The older man looked thoughtful, thinking things over before answering.  "This is true...but I think I would feel better if you learned some kind of self-defense.  Then you would at least have the reflexes to avoid the minor things."  
  
Wait, what?  
  
Zoro seemed to perk up a bit at this, "I can teach you a few things in case someone attacks you."  
  
"You can also go running to build up endurance,"  Jinbei added.  
  
"I know a few exercises to help build some muscles."  
  
"Perhaps get a gym membership?"  
  
You looked back and forth between the men, eyes wide as the two continued on and on about what you were going to do to help protect yourself.  The ideas were becoming more and more elaborate and crazy sounding the more they went on and you felt so attacked right now.  
  
"When did this turn into an insane work out program!?!"  
  
  
~~  
  
  
With the glass cleaned up and thrown away, Jinbei helped you get a large piece of plywood to cover the window for the immediate future, unable to cough up for a whole new window at this time.  Your neighbor had offered to help pay for it, but you declined; siting that you were a big girl with a bank account.  
  
With money slowly dwindling away...  
  
"I told you he wouldn't be any help," Zoro grunted out as you two finally went inside and shut the door.  
  
"He totally helped," You huffed.  "Maybe not in the way we were hoping for, but at least we have an ally."  
  
The wolf scowled, not at all impressed with this.  "I suppose...but he's not pack."  
  
You rolled his eyes, wondering why he was so obsessed with that.  Why did it matter if Jinbei was or wasn't anyways?  You swear, Zoro's whole lone wolf thing was a bit silly; you made a mental note to look up more information on wolf behavior just so you could figure this all out.  
  
Speaking of _werewolf_  behavior...  
  
"Zoro...what happens to you on a full moon?"  
  
The man stiffened, having been turning to go towards the couch for a nap.  He shifted a bit, back to you as he stared at the wall.  "Nothing you have to worry about."  
  
 **Red flag.**  
  
You walked over to him and touched his arm, trying to get him to look at you.  "Zoro...you can tell me, I won't get scared or anything."  
  
You tried to look at his face but he kept turning away, which only made you a little upset he was hiding from you.  "Zoro-!"  
  
Then you noticed the reason why.    
  
He was _blushing_.  
  
The male scowled at you, cheeks a dark red and just looking overall embarrassed.  "I...things get... _complicated_  during the full moon."  
  
"Complicated?"  Now you weren't worried, but super curious.  You didn't get to see Zoro blush often and when he did it was the absolute cutest thing in the entire universe.  Sometimes you just wanted to pinch his cheeks when he did, but you refrained yourself because you were sure he would nip at them and you just....ugh, you did not want him to feel your perverted urges when he did.  
  
Zoro kept his gaze on the wall, sulking and crossing his arms.  "I don't have to change, but it makes it easier to deal with things if I'm just a wolf."  
  
You tilted your head curiously, waiting for him to continue.  
  
But he stayed silent and refused to elaborate more until you reached out and pinched his arm.  He swatted your hand away and sighed, "My senses become heightened, I get stronger, faster and I become more...sensitive."  
  
Oh, okay?  
  
"Is that it?  You don't have to run off for that," You huffed, wondering why he was being so dramatic.  
  
He scowled at you and you suddenly found yourself pushed onto the couch, your body laying a little off the side as you stared up at you boyfriend in confusion.  Zoro towered over you for a moment, glare still present on his face before he moved.  Then he was crawling on top of you, legs positioning on the outside of your body while his hands placed themselves on your hips.  You blushed and felt him grip your waist, thumbs moving to wiggle under the hem of your shirt to rub circles on your skin.  You shifted slightly but felt him suddenly dig his nails into your side, making you stop.  He held you still for a moment, as if making sure you knew who was in control then went back to rubbing soft circles in your hips.  
  
Zoro kept his face blank as he continued to hold onto you before moving his hands up your form, brushing over your body and making you wish you were shirtless like he was right now so he could be touching your skin.  Biting your lower lip, you watched his hands finally make their way to your shoulders; giving them a gentle squeeze before leaning down and nuzzling his nose into your cheek.  
  
You grinned, your palms moving to rest on his chest, "What's wrong with this?  I like _sensitive_  Zoro."  
  
He snarled, his fangs gently brushing over your cheek and sending shivers of excitement down your body.  
  
"I told you, everything becomes heightened for me."  He didn't look at you, just kept his nose pressed to your face and hands on your shoulders.  "I...I wouldn't be able to control myself.  I wouldn't be able to stop."  
  
Yes. YES.   **YES!!**  
  
You wrapped your arms around Zoro's middle and moved one of your legs to rub against his inner thigh, grinning in pride when the wolf gasped and gripped your shoulders tighter.  
  
"I wouldn't want you to stop~."  
  
He finally turned to look at you, eye flashing with lust and anger.  "No.  You don't understand."  
  
Frustration welled up inside you, starting to feel put out that Zoro was avoiding it all again.  You would wait forever for him to initiate sex, he was worth the wait.  But you wondered just how shy a guy could be?  Zoro was always direct with his intentions, sometimes even to the to the point of being a total dick.  To see a shy Zoro was weird and you were constantly thrown off by it.  You were sure he's had sex before, one does not live so long without sex, especially not a healthy male.    
  
So, what the heck was the problem?  You were confident enough to know it wasn't your body - you've been hit on enough to know you had _some_ game.  Was it something else?  Did your breath stink?  Did you dress too frumpy?  What was it?!  You just wished he'd tell you before you were overcome with sexual frustration and were forced to walk into a room completely naked with a big sign saying 'Take me now!'.   
  
"Help me understand, Zoro."  You were glaring up at him, hoping he felt your annoyance.  
  
He growled, looking frustrated himself and glaring right back.  Damn it, if you weren't so annoyed, this would be totally hot.    
  
" **That!** "  Zoro snarled at you, giving your shoulders a light shake.  
  
You frowned, thrown off by his outburst.  "What?"    
  
"The bond is what's stopping me," He shouted, fingers gripping your shoulders tighter as he snarled down at you.  "You can barely handle your own emotions, but you want to take on both of us?  If I were to take you on a full moon then you'd be overwhelmed."  
  
You rolled your eyes, wondering if that was all he was worrying about.  "I can handle-"  
  
Then you were tense, breathing growing quick as a pleasurable heat traveled up your legs, spreading and wrapping around your thighs and hips like ribbons.  It was like it was tying itself tightly around your limbs, overlapping with pleasurable heat and wrapping you up like some gift.  You arched as the heat moved to your abdomen and formed into what felt like a tight ball, squeezing your very core while Zoro stared down at you with a blank face.    
  
"You can barely handle half of what I'm giving you," He whispered, lowering himself to kiss at your neck.  His lips pressed lightly into your skin despite the harsh heat of emotions trying to burst out of you.  The wolf moved his hands, one traveling to your hip while the other tugged at your collar.  He gave your shirt a sharp tug, effectively popping off the top buttons and giving you more cleavage.  You felt his fingers brush your collar bone before dragging his hand under your shirt and pushing it off your shoulder a bit.  
  
You trembled, his kisses now turning into nips and making you light headed.  The heat continued to squeeze your core, making your hips buck into his muscled body.  You tried to keep your lower half pressed firmly against Zoro's, but the heat continued to pulse inside your abdomen which made you feel weak and lucid.  It was driving you crazy and you were sure you could probably get off on just this.  
  
The hand resting on your hip was moving under your shirt, pushing it up slowly while his palm trailed up your side.  Soon your shirt was halfway over your breasts, the cold air making your stomach twitch while Zoro licked one of the love bites on your neck.  The hand was on the move again, but instead of going further up, he moved it sideways and you felt it wiggle it's way under your bra; making you gasp and rear your head back as the ball of heat in your abdomen gave off a burst that sent hot tingles throughout your body.  
  
Zoro didn't stop though, hand pushing your bra up a bit as he dragged it across your chest, fingers purposely brushing your nipple while he continued towards the other breast.  Your chest was almost fully exposed at this point, your shirt pushed up all the way to your collarbone while Zoro kept his mouth latched onto your throat and littering it with more and more kisses.  
  
You felt like you were in a haze; heat still pooling in your stomach, Zoro's hand groping your breasts while his teeth lightly grazed your skin and wanting to just dig in.  You were sure you were about to pass out and briefly wondered how much more of it you could take if this was only what half of what Zoro was feeling.  
  
Then his leg moved, knee positioning itself between your legs and pushing upwards into your groin, effectively shooting what was like electricity through your nerves; all the while, you were sure you were seeing colorful fireworks flourish before your very eyes.    
  
Too much, too much!  You quickly smacked your hand on his shoulder, chest heaving as you tried to regain some of your vision.  "T-Tap out!  I tap out!!"  
  
He stopped, not making any other move to continue with the session.  Zoro nuzzled his nose very gently into one of your new hickeys before finally pulling away.  He stared down at you, your breasts rising and falling as you tried to catch your breath.  Your cheeks were completely flushed and you had to breathe out your mouth to get enough airflow or you'd surely die.  
  
The bastard had the gall to give you a smirk.  "If this were a full moon, I wouldn't hold back.  Both physically and emotionally."  
  
He leaned in and wrapped his arms around you, hugging you close to his body and making you tremble as your chest (shirt still askew and halfway off) pushed right into his own naked one.    
  
Zoro then kissed you.  It was firm and insistent, but he didn't force his tongue into your mouth or try to dominate you, just demanded your attention.  This was something you could do, so you kissed back, shaky arms wrapping around his neck and one hand moving to grip his hair.  
  
Damn it, he made you feel like you were on drugs.  You knew you would always come back for more, no matter if it was good for you or not.  The kiss broke and the two of you just held one another for a few moments, breaths mingling together and legs tangling with one another as you tried to be as close as possible.  
  
"I-I think going slow is a good idea," You gasped out.  There was no question in your mind now.  You knew if you two tried this while you were still new to the bond you would probably explode.  And it would be a grand explosion and you'd enjoy every moment of it while you went out in spectacular flames.  
  
But you preferred to remember it all the next day, thank you.  
  
He grinned, glad you finally understood.  "Sorry...did I overwhelm you?"  
  
You shook your head, your heart still fluttering a mile a minute.  "It was...holy shit, I can't even begin to describe what you just did."  
  
Zoro grinned even wider, looking like some demon who'd discovered a way into heaven.  "Good."  
  
Damn him and his sexy awesome self.


	21. Chapter 21

Damn him!!  You thought he loved you!  How could Zoro do this?!  Just how could he make you suffer like this!?!  
  
"You're falling behind again."  
  
You hissed, wishing you had the energy to reach up and just strangle his sexy neck!!  
  
Zoro had been true to his word about getting you into some kind of fighting shape, he had sat you down and told you point blank that he was going to start training you to defend yourself in case you were attacked.  You were a bit huffy and pointed out that one really couldn't defend themselves against magic, but he was insistent.  The wolf sited that even if they managed to get whatever magic that was placed on you broken, there might still be others sent your way and it was best to be prepared then to just sit around with thumbs up your asses.  Admitting defeat, you agreed to some kind of routine and even shelled out what cash you had to order some exercise equipment online (Zoro at some point needed to get a job, or you'd be broke the rest of your life).   
  
Satisfied that you two were going to do this, he ushered you to bed early like some stern parent and told you that the both of you were going to start in the morning with a jog.  This didn't sound too bad.  It was your day off so it wasn't like you had anything better to do.  You took the time to prepare some kind of jogging attire, yoga pants, tank top, light jacket, water bottle, and running shoes you'd found in the back of your closet.  You were a bit pumped by the time you actually laid down for the night, encouraged by the thought you'd be getting into some kind of shape (even going as far as imagining yourself toned and sexier in just a weeks time at training).  You'd actually smiled as you closed your eyes, picturing yourself doing great at each exercise and gaining Zoro's approval.  Maybe this wouldn't be so bad??  
  
Well, until you realized he wanted to jog hours before the sun was even up.    
  
Oh, and his definition of a "jog" was actually twenty laps around the park.  Did you know that the closest park is 2.5 miles long?  You'd actually laughed at him, thinking it was some kind of joke, but he just stared you down with a stern frown much like your mother would do when you didn't take what she said seriously.  Then he pinched your cheek and pulled, telling you to stretch and do warm ups.  
  
You should have ran back to the car instead.  
  
"I'm dying," You wheezed out, gross sweat sliding down your face, your back and other disgusting places and IT WAS HORRIBLE!!  
  
"You are not dying," Zoro chided, not looking the least bit winded.  
  
"You're. _Killing. **Me.**_ "  Your lungs were on fire and you were sure if you stopped you'd collapse.  Did I mention your legs were like jelly at this point?  Jiggly jiggly jelly and so very, _very_  numb.  
  
"We've only gone two laps."  
  
You let out a shocked rasp, eyes wide as you came to a complete stop and placed your hands on your knees, gasping for breath.  "T-Two?!  I thought we were at thirteen!!"  
  
Zoro rolled his eyes and stood by you with his hand on his hip.  "You're more out of shape then I thought..."  
  
You looked up, annoyance flaring in your eyes.  "You wanna rephrase that?"  
  
The wolf smirked, "I could...but I also know I can outrun you."  
  
You did your best to raise your hand and gave him the middle finger, too exhausted to throw a snarky reply.  You needed to breathe, breathing was life, breathing was everything.  
  
Zoro sighed, rubbing the back of his neck and looking at you with pity.  "Let's call it a day."  
  
Your middle digit instantly went away and was replaced with a thumbs up.  
  
He waited patiently for you to gain some energy, your lungs felt like a thousand suns were lodged in your chest and you had to gulp down what water you had left before shuffling forward, eager to get back to the damn car and forget this all happened.  You were going to pass out on the couch and make Zoro buy you a whole box of donuts, you deserved it.  
  
"I suppose I was too optimistic," Zoro grumbled, making you glare at him.  
  
"No???   _Reaaaaallly??_ "  
  
He merely reached out to pinch your hip, grinning.  "We'll have to start from scratch.  Once the weights come in, I'll show you how to build stamina."  
  
You groaned, regretting you ever agreed to this madness.  
  
It was at this point that a group of cyclist zoomed right past you guys, almost knocking right into you both as they passed in high speeds like the people who did those bicycle marathons.  You both actually stumbled apart when one of them rode right between the you two, feeling like they didn't care if they mowed you down into the pavement.    
  
"Hey, assholes-!!"  
  
You didn't see the straggler come up behind you, bumping right into your shoulder and making you yelp more out of shock then pain.  It was only a bump, but for some reason it felt like your leg was searing in pain.  You gasped and instantly touched your right calf, wincing when the pain grew worse.  It was then you noticed you were actually bleeding a bit.  
  
"What the hell...?"  Had the jerk's bike chain snagged you?  Were you gonna have to choke a bitch?  
  
What you saw though only made you confused.  There, right on your ankle, was a bite mark.  Blood was already forming at the wound, the places where teeth had sunk into your skin slowly dripping red down your ankle and right into your shoe.  You crouched and flinched, the pain really flaring up now and sending burning pinpricks all the way up to your thigh.  You felt like you couldn't even touch it, flinching every time your hand even drew near  
  
Zoro was by your side at this point, grabbing your hands to keep you from agitating the spot as he examined it.  What was weird was that it didn't look like any bite mark you'd ever seen, like whatever animal had snagged hold of you had a long muzzle with way too many teeth to make you feel comfortable.  
  
Zoro sniffed the air and scowled, "Magic."  
  
You scowled right back, "What?!  Cars and falling lights weren't enough, they gotta send some weird thing to bite me too?!"  
  
"We need to leave," The wolf was suddenly grim looking and before you knew what was happening, he was picking you up and jogging back to the car like you were some princess being rescued from a dragon.  You didn't seem as worried as he was, it was just a bite after all.  You even felt relaxed enough to start waving at other joggers you both passed until the car came into view.  Zoro was so upset that he placed you in the seat like you were made of porcelain, acting like you had some life threatening wound and even going as far as buckling you in before checking you over once more.  
  
"Zoro," You laughed, trying to soothe him by patting his arm.  "I'm fine, it doesn't even hurt anymore."  
  
"No, it's not fine."  He grunted, lightly checking your ankle.  
  
"I've had worse, if they think a little bite like this can take me down-"  
  
He glowered at you, "It may be poisonous."  
  
That stopped you in your tracks, making your heart freeze and face turn stark white.  You didn't say anything as he closed the door before walking over to the driver's side to get in and start the car.  You were officially in panic mode considering you were letting Zoro, the man who got lost on the way to the store across the street, drive home.  
  
It was a tense few minutes in the car, the air awkward and making you feel even more upset.  Zoro wasn't any better off, his hands gripping the steering wheel so tightly that his knuckles were turning white with strain.  You took a few deep breaths and reached out to grip the male's arm, gaining his attention.  
  
"I want ice cream."  
  
"What?!"  He looked at you like you were crazy, but you weren't having any of it.  Anxiety was brewing inside you and you looked about ready to have a break down at the thought of possibly dying today.    
  
"If I'm going to die then I'm going out with a cone in hand and my face covered in sugar!!!"  
  
This wasn't how you pictured yourself possibly dying, but by god you were gonna go in style!!  And oddly enough, Zoro didn't argue as he pulled into a store parking lot.   
  
  
~  
  
  
One tub of your favorite ice cream and a few tense hours later, you both started to feel a bit better at the whole bite thing.  When Zoro finally concluded you weren't about to start foaming at the mouth or collapse on the floor as your soul was ripped from your body, a weight was finally lifted from your shoulders.  You were relaxed again, frustrated, but relaxed.  
  
You raised your leg and pointed at the wound that was covered in a light bandage.  "This is just sad.  How desperate are they?"  
  
"It could be that the magic is finally wearing down, the danger does seems to be getting less and less.  It doesn't look like they'd planned you to keep surviving so it's possible they used a weak spell."  
  
"Well, I guess I shouldn't complain."  You frowned, wanting so bad to reach down and scratch at your ankle.  What was it about gauze that made everything so damn itchy?  
  
Zoro sighed as he sat down on the couch next to you, "We need to find who ever's doing this and stop them before it gets worse."  
  
You leaned against him in a gloom, "And how are we going to do that?"  
  
His hand reached up and gently brushed your hair, not saying anything as you two relaxed against one another.  Zoro's fingers combed through your tresses, massaging your scalp and gliding behind your ears with the softest of touches.  It was relaxing and you'd forgotten the last time you both just sat like this, probably not since the cabin...  The two of you were like this for so long that you found yourself nodding off for just a moment before the wolf finally spoke, low and soft.  
  
"...If we find a witch of our own."  
  
You looked up at him, hearing the uncertainty in his voice.  "That's an option?"  
  
He frowned, shifting a bit but still keeping you close so he could play with your hair.  "I don't want it to be...but it would help if we had something to conceal you or break the spell."  
  
Looking thoughtful for a moment, you tried to decide if that was a good idea or not.  On the one hand, there was the chance of this stupid bad luck going away and you wouldn't have to worry about the next thing coming to get you; on the other hand, magic was the thing causing you grief and you weren't really sure if you wanted to mess with it any more then you should.  You mulled this over in your mind a bit before pulling out your phone and doing a Google search.  
  
Zoro raised an eyebrow at you, "What are you doing?"  
  
"Looking up local witches."  
  
He snorted, "I doubt they'd advertise themselves like that."  
  
You grinned and clicked on a link, reading the address for the little shop that had come up in your search.  
  
  
~~  
  
  
Zoro looked up at the sign with a confused frown, unable to believe a witch had actually advertised themselves like a modern day store.  You were grinning, finding it funny that Zoro was so befuddled that some people were open about their affiliation with magic and supernatural creatures.  But, you supposed witches had more leeway then a vampire or werewolf.  People can just deem a witch crazy and ignore them and still get business from the magic buffs; vampires and wolves had to hide themselves or get killed by the army or whatever.  
  
You patted the man's arm and snickered, "Let's go inside before I get struck by a meteor."  
  
He grunted in response and walked forward, looking curious now.  The store looked like one of those hipster places in the eastern part of town.  Much like the stores that sold handmade purses, jewelry, clothes, and shoes, this store had the feel of homemade items.  The sign out front was written in cursive script in a dark green font that said _Viola's_ , the name was wrapped in flowers and vines while hanging from atop the door.  There was a large window out front that had a display of crystals, dream catchers, and mystical looking trinkets.  It almost felt legit.  It made it even odder that the neighboring outlets were selling art supplies and shoes.  
  
The inside had an even more 'witchy' feeling, the lighting a little dim and making the room feel warm while some kind of incense burned somewhere.  The walls were lined with all sorts of antique items, charms, beads, weird looking ropes and clocks, lots and lots of clocks and all ticking at once.  The little display cases inside the small shop held more items like cards, jewelry boxes, crystal balls, rocks with symbols on them, and even bottles of colorful liquids.  
  
Honestly, you felt it was almost too witchy.  Like someone was trying too hard and that this might all actually be a sham.  You turned to look at Zoro who was by a display and picking up some weird looking dagger when a woman walked in from the back room behind the counter.  
  
She was very beautiful, with long, curly brown hair and pleasant amber eyes.  Her skin was tanned and she wore a red rose in her hair, making you believe she was from Spain.  If that didn't tip you off, her dress made you certain she had family there, the flamenco style outfit littered with ruffles and polka dots.  It would have looked tacky on anyone else, but she worked it well.  
  
"May I help you?"  
  
Oh, that accent~!  She was definitely going on your 'Girl Crush' list.  
  
Zoro sniffed the air, frowning and tilting his head in confusion.  "You don't smell like a witch."  
  
She glared while you quickly stepped on his foot to shut him up.  
  
"I am not a witch.  I merely sell magical items."  
  
Zoro looked around, nose twitching as if something was making it itchy.  "It stinks in here."  
  
You pressed down on his foot even harder and scowled at him before turning to the woman with an apologetic grin.  "S-Sorry, he's just-"  
  
She held up her hand to stop you, "Please.  Tell me what you need and I will do my best to help."  
  
Shifting, you tried to think of a good way to phrase what you wanted.  You weren't even sure what you needed, honestly.  "Um, well, I have some kind of spell on me..."  
  
"A curse?"  She looked curiously at you now, making you feel like this whole thing was a bit too real now.  Her calling it a curse made it sound much more...dangerous.  
  
"I...uh, yes?  Just a lot of bad stuff has been happening to me and I'm not sure...uh, is there anything that can just make it stop?"  
  
She looked thoughtful, scanning her shop as if trying to see what would work in your situation.  "I'm sorry, I do not have anything that can break a curse."  
  
You sagged a bit, feeling like you'd come all the way here for nothing.  
  
"But, I can give you something that can help you."  She bent down behind the counter and pulled out a little wooden box.  Opening the plain container, she shifted through the pile of items inside, looking more like a junk drawer then some mystical container of witch stuff.  She finally found what she'd been looking for and pulled out what appeared to be a monocle.  Smiling, the woman placed the plain piece of glass on the counter, it's outside rim trimmed in gold that looked muted and old.  
  
You leaned closer to stare, "What is it?"  
  
"It's a spyglass.  It'll help you see magic, demons, ghosts, anything not of the human eye."  
  
Oh, that sounded neat!!  
  
Zoro picked it up, studying it closely and looking a bit apprehensive.  "It doesn't smell like the other stuff in here."  
  
"Like magic?"  You asked, watching him put it up to his eye and look around.  
  
"No, it smells like a normal item to me."  
  
The woman smiled, as if she heard customers talked about how her stuff smelled all the time, "It has a very simple enchantment placed on it.  These items are meant to go unnoticed, one would not like their enemies to know that they can see the real them."  
  
"How does it work?"  You asked while watching Zoro fiddle with the piece of glass.  
  
She brought up her hand to form a circle around her eye, much like she was wearing a monocle and twisting her hand in a circle.  "You turn it three times over your eye, then all illusions will be dropped and you will see."  
  
Zoro blinked and did as she instructed, turning the monocle three times then looking around with more interest.  "It works."  
  
Oooooooh!  You wanted a turn!!  You held out your hand and grinned when Zoro dropped it in your palm.  You put the glass to your eye and frowned when you saw nothing.  Realizing it probably only worked for one glance, you did what she instructed and gasped at the sights around you.  The shop, which had felt red with warmth, was now jumbled with colors.  Reds, blues, greens, yellows, purples, mixtures and batches that made the art store next door look like a dump.  Each item had some weird mist, sparkle, slime, anything you could think off coming off it.  Some more then others while other things didn't look any different from when you had the monocle off.    
  
"This is so cool~!"  
  
"Is that just plain glass?"  Zoro asked, watching you turn in place a few times to look all over the shop.  
  
"All spyglasses are made from the planchette of a _Ouija_   _Board_ *."  
  
You almost dropped the monocle on the ground, quickly placing it on the counter and stepping away nervously.  "O-Ouija board?"  
  
"What's wrong?"  Zoro asked, frowning at your sudden change of mood.  
  
"Zoro!  Ouija boards summon evil stuff!"  You hissed, eyeing the object like it was going to attack.  You'd seen too many devil style horror films to not be cautious of Ouija boards.  If someone gave you Jason's machete or Freddy's clawed gloves, you'd go to town and hang them on your wall, but if someone ever gave you a Ouija board, you'd burn the damn thing before you even opened the package.  
  
"The boards themselves are merely messaging tools to the other world.  This is just to see illusions and magic," The woman supplied, looking a little miffed you were ditching Ouija.  
  
"I-I don't know..."  
  
Zoro looked amused at your hesitation, "It's not like we're summoning satan in your living room.  It'll be useful the next time something happens, the trail might lead us to whoever is doing this."  
  
You shifted, biting your lower lip and eyeing the spyglass in apprehension.  "I...Yeah, I guess we can get it."  
  
"Excellent," The woman smiled as she pulled a long gold chain and a little paper bag.  "I ask for something of equal or greater value."  
  
You frowned in confusion, "Uh, you don't take cash?"  
  
"We prefer an exchange of goods," The woman replied.  "Items that have been attached to people tend to be more valuable then money."  
  
You frowned even more, not liking the thought of giving something personal to a witch when one had already cursed you with locks of your hair or nails or whatever.  Plus, did you even have anything personal on you?  You didn't bring a purse and there was no way you were giving her your clothes.  Zoro didn't look any better off, he had nothing of personal value on him for as long as you'd known him so you had to pat at your pockets for something to give her.  
  
All you had on you was your wallet, your keys, and a tube of chapstick.  You looked at your keys and felt that your _Lilo and Stitch_  keychain wasn't really important enough to exchange.  You rifled through your wallet a bit and found nothing of 'personal value' there before giving up and placing your chapstick on the counter.  What the hell, right?  
  
The woman raised an eyebrow at you while Zoro looked entertained.  
  
"Um," You cleared your throat, trying to sound mystical.  "This item holds the touch of a thousand kisses.  First kiss, true love's kiss, all between people most important to me."  
  
She stared at you then at the item, a smirk forming on her face as she plucked it from the counter-top.  "Very clever, I accept this exchange."  
  
Before you knew it, you and Zoro were walking to the car with the little bag in hand, you unable to believe you got a magical item with chapstick and Zoro looking ready to laugh.  
  
" _'A thousand kisses'_?"  
  
You gave him a wry grin, "All from you, babe."  
  
  
~~~  
  
  
"What's that supposed to be?"   
  
You frowned, fiddling with the spyglass that was hanging on the gold chain around your neck.  "Just something I found."  
  
Your friend from work eyed you, her arm linked in yours as you both walked down the street towards the downtown area.  "Did you go to the East End again?  Tell me you didn't buy feathers to put in your hair and an owl shirt."  
  
"Shut up," You laughed, hiding the spyglass under your shirt and feeling it rest heavy against your chest.  It still kind of scared you that it was from a Ouija Board set, but you'd slowly gotten used to it the last few days you've had it.    
  
It was interesting too.  As soon as you'd gotten home, you scanned the apartment with the little monocle and found that there were a few things inside that actually had a little bit of magic to them, one was an old German notebook you'd found in a garage sale and had never gotten around to translating it, another was a pair of earrings your ex had given you on Valentines Day; the oddest though was your toaster.  Who the hell enchanted a toaster?!  
  
"Where is this place at anyways?"  
  
She grinned at you, "Just another block.  It's pretty awesome~."  
  
You hummed, hoping she wasn't just hyping you up for mediocre food.  You were paying for it, so you might as well enjoy it.  Today was the day your friend wanted to be treated to a meal and of course, she chose the place her date had taken her that romantic night you almost got crushed by a lamp.  The next time you saw her after that she didn't even ask about your health, just gushed about the date and how great it had been.  Of course, she didn't go on another date with the guy, but she sure as hell was in love with this restaurant.    
  
"Is that it?"  You pointed to a fancy looking sign on a building.  "Bara-tee?"  
  
" _Ba-ra-tie._ " She replied in a snooty voice, erupting into giggles when you rolled your eyes.  "Yeah, we have to take the elevator."  
  
You frowned, "Elevator?"  
  
"Oh, you know how downtown is.  There's always a restaurant at the very top of one of their buildings so desk jockeys can go eat."  
  
You frowned.  "Aren't restaurants at the top of buildings usually expensive?"  
  
She waved her hand at you in shooing manner, "Don't worry about it.  It's great, you'll have fun."  
  
You twitched and secretly hoped this place took tubes of chapstick as currency.  
  
  
  
"Holy shit," You gripped your friends arm as soon as you got off the elevator, feeling incredibly shabby in the large restaurant.  The whole room was three times the size of your whole apartment and a million times more fancy.  The room was circular all the way around with special booths and tables to match.  There were no walls, but windows, all across the restaurant and showing an amazing view of the city and even the river just a few miles away.  The floor was a shining, wood colored tile; an intricate design of white swirls and fleur-de-lis along the edges of each tile and somehow not looking the least bit busy in style.    
  
The tables were a deep red wood covered in pristine, white table cloths and fancy silverware.  Possibly real silver.  There was a large chandelier hanging from the center of the restaurant and holy crap, the roof was domed shape and made of glass and you bet it was amazing to eat here at night with all the stars over head.  
  
"H-Hey, are we properly dressed for this?"  You asked in a nervous whisper as you two walked towards a man in a tailored, black waiters suit and reading over a list of reservations at his little podium.  
  
"Don't worry about it."  
  
You looked down, staring at your old pair of jeans and plain t-shirt and black jacket.  "I'm worrying about it."  
  
"You're such a baby," She rolled her eyes and patted your arm.  "Now stay here while I weasel our way into a table."  
  
"Wait, you didn't call ahead?!"  You glared at this idiot you called a friend, "We'll be lucky to get a look at their bread!"  
  
She winked at you, "Just leave it to me, sugar tits."  
  
Sighing in exasperation, you watched her skip up to the podium where the middle aged host stood and started to talk, or flirt, whatever.   She was giving you a headache already and you just wanted Taco Bell or something of equal greasy-ness, not some fancy, overpriced fish or steak.  You could hear your wallet crying in agony and you were about to check your bank account to make sure you even had enough for this venture when someone lightly brushed past you.  
  
It was subtle and normally you would ignore such things, but something about this brush made you tense, nervous, _scared_.  You skin felt like frost had settled over it, but it was burning and everything felt dry and itchy.  You looked up to see the back of a tall man in a black jacket with fur trimming the collar, the item of clothing was hanging off his shoulders with an air of 'I'm better than you' coming off him.  He had on a black vest with gold shining buttons and blue cloth puffed at the collar; his pants looked like expensive slacks specifically tailored to match his build and his shoes were a polished black.  His hair was dark and slicked back in a suave fashion and it was then you realized he was smoking a cigar, inside!!  Was that allowed here?    
  
But what was even more striking about him was the long scar under his sly, narrowed eyes.  It ran from one ear to the other, all the was across his nose and face and making him look incredibly dangerous.    
  
He felt incredibly dangerous.  
  
Stumbling for your spyglass, you quickly brought it up to your eye and turned it three times, hoping to god what you were feeling wasn't magic related.   But what you saw made your heart still, you hands sweaty, and your body tremble in dread.    
  
It was like a smoky mist, forming all around him and merging with his cigar smoke like an apparition.  It moved and swirled around him of it's own accord, feeling the air and changing from dark orange to murky brown.  But the colors and the way it moved isn't what frightened you, no, it was it's shape.  Even though it was smoke, it kept a general shape and even moved to walk on the floor next to the man before floating back around his shoulders and head.  
  
It was in the shape of a crocodile.   It's mouth long and even showing off rows and rows of sharp looking teeth that still looked dangerous despite it being mere smoke, it made your ankle itch just staring at them.  It had no eyes, just dark pools that swirled into grey and black like burning smoke.  You couldn't look away, it was all so fascinating and so...so very strange.  
  
That was when you finally noticed the man staring at you, cigar hanging slightly from his mouth as he looked you down from just a few feet away.  You fumbled and quickly pulled the spyglass from your face, cheeks flushed in embarrassment at being caught and possibly inciting the wrath of whatever this man was.  
  
He smirked, eyes suddenly alit with a knowing gleam.  
  
That was when you felt the shivers down your spine.


	22. Chapter 22

He just stared at you, devious gaze sliding over your body like a snake, it’s form curling and entrapping you in it’s hold and squeezed tighter and tighter by the second.  It was almost like he was forcing the air out of you and his grin only widened when you started to tremble.  You couldn’t look away.  No matter how much you tried to look this way or that his hungry and dangerous gaze held you still as the smoke billowed about his face in a macabre fashion.  
  
You jerked in place and felt your heart stop as something brushed against your legs, feeling like it was rough sand that rubbed your skin raw as it entwined around your ankles.  You had to resist reaching for the spyglass, knowing it would be pointless to see if it was the smoke creature was truly there or not.  The monster didn’t do anything, but just it’s presence unnerved you.  You could already picture his long muzzle snapping open and close as it tried to decide when to take a huge chunk out of you.  You had to grip the hem of your jacket just to stay in control, or else you’d freak out and make things worse.    
  
Taking a deep breath you gave the man your best glare, trying not to falter as the invisible creature tightened itself around you, making your legs push together and your knees knock into one another.  It was a scary feeling, this horrifying creature at your ankles and this large man just staring you down and enjoying your fear.  He even looked amused that you weren’t struggling or begging him to stop, downright delighted even.  
  
Then he took a step forward, this sudden movement made you flinch and you had to keep from cursing as you saw his shoulders shake very slightly, clearly laughing under his breath.  He was fucking toying with you.  Whoever this bastard was, you wanted to bash his face in, magic crocodile or not.  
  
“_______!”    
  
You were jerked from your glaring contest when your friend grabbed your arm, smiling widely and looking quite pleased with herself.  “Guess who got a table?”  
  
She didn’t wait for you to answer, “ _Moi~!!_  And you doubted me?  C’mon, I’m starving!”  
  
Before you knew what was happening, your friend was dragging you away, breaking you out of whatever magic you had been under, like it was just a spiderweb in her path.  It took you a second to gather your senses before turning to glance at the man.  He wasn’t making an effort to come after you, just stare with that creepy grin as he tapped his cigar in the closest vase.  When your eyes met you felt a weird sensation of sand running down the back of your shirt and against your skin, but it felt slow…deliberate.  It stopped as soon as you turned away, as if giving him any sort of acknowledgement gave him power over you.  
  
For once, you were glad your friend interrupted everything.  
  
The smaller girl dragged you past chairs and tables where people were eating the fanciest looking food you’d ever seen.  Pristine white plates holding edible works of art that ranged in a wide variety of colors and combinations.  The smells and sounds of sizzling meat also perfumed the air, mixing with laughter and the clinking of silverware as waiters opened bottles of wine or served guests their meals.  
  
You didn’t get a chance to truly gawk at people’s plates, already being dragged further across the restaurant and into a table right by the window-wall.  The view overlooked all of downtown and most of the city, it was especially nice because of the river.  Your state was separated by a large river, downtown’s entire layout was right by it, gathering many interesting restaurants and attractions such as the river boat.  It was pretty nice, especially with the sun slowly going down and making the water sparkle.  
  
Despite how comfortable the chairs were or how energetic the atmosphere seemed to be, you couldn’t help but look around the restaurant every few seconds for the man with the cigar.  You couldn’t see him anywhere, but you had the worst feeling that he could see you.  
  
“We picked the perfect time to come,” The girl across from you grinned, folding her arms on the table.  “Right before the dinner rush~!”  
  
“Uh-huh,” You nodded.  Damn it, you couldn’t find him…  
  
“This place gets super busy at night,” She continued on, not caring that you weren’t paying attention.  “The view is amazing up here, and we have a window seat~!”  
  
Giving up on your futile search, you went about unwrapping your napkin and tableware, arranging it this way and that to keep yourself busy.  
  
“Also, we’re in _his_ section.”  
  
You looked up and frowned at her, “His?”  
  
She giggled, cheeks going flushed and hands folding to her chest.  “The most handsomest waiter in the world.”  
  
Oh good lord.  Was this why she didn’t go on a second date with her ‘true love’?  Because she found a new one??    
  
“Wait, you dragged me here just to gawk at some guy???”  
  
“Yes,” She replied in a dreamy sigh, not looking the least bit sorry.  
  
“The food better be fucking delicious,” You grumbled as you pulled out your phone.  You needed a distraction, from her and from the possibility of a man with a cigar performing crazy-scary magic on you.  
  
As soon as you unlocked your phone, you were shocked to see you missed six calls.  Checking the number you paled when you saw they were all from your apartment.  Standing up, you kept your eye on your screen as you pressed the ‘call back’ button.  
  
“I’ll be right back.”  
  
You dashed from the table and around a few others until you found the hall leading to the bathroom.  Slipping into the room marked ‘ladies’, you quickly looked under the stalls for any feet and were thankful to find yourself alone.  You put the phone to your ear and heard it ring twice before someone picked it up on the other end.  
  
“______!”  
  
“Zoro!”  Just hearing his voice right now made you feel so much better.  His warm, deep tone sent soothing tingles down your body and made it go loose and relaxed.    
  
Damn it, you wish he were here right now.  
  
“What’s happening?!  I felt-“  
  
“I’m fine,” You interrupted, taking deep breaths.  “Really, I just saw something weird is all.”  
  
He didn’t say anything, but you could tell he had many questions.  “Do you need me to come get you?”  
  
Shit, what did you do to deserve this man?  Even though he had felt your fear and anxiety, he still trusted you enough to handle a situation without him.  He knew you would tell him if something were truly wrong.  Most guys would proclaim that they would come pick you up, or demand you come home so they could protect you.  But Zoro believed you could handle yourself but also gave you the option for help if you wanted it.  
  
You’d take him over a knight in shining armor any day.  
  
“No…I think I’m alright.”  You smiled, picturing yourself giving him kisses all over his face.  You were told a million times that the bond didn’t enable you to read each other’s minds, but sometimes you felt like Zoro really could, so you would do something like this just to test it out.  
  
He chuckled, feeling your affection for him seep through your magical link.  “Call me if you need me.”  
  
You made kissy noises at him until he hung up with a grumble.  This made you feel a hundred percent better as you pocketed your device and checked yourself in the mirror.  You could handle yourself just fine, Zoro believed in you so who were you to make him wrong?  
  
With that positive thought in mind and a skip in your step, you made your way out of the ladies room...and smacked right into someone.  Hands quickly moved to grasp your arms when your body threatened to tumble back.  They were large, firm palms that kept you upright while the chest you were staring at seemed to be just as tall as it was broad, it was then that you recognized the clothing of this stranger and tensed.  
  
His hands still gripped your arms while smoke billowed around you both, watering your eyes and threatening to make you cough.  You refused to look up into the man’s eyes, too frightened to see that wide, creepy grin on that scarred face.  
  
The man with the cigar chuckled and gently righted you before slowly letting go of your arms.  You were thankful and were about to skirt around him when he slowly bent down to your eye level and looked right at you.    
  
You froze, seeing his pupils flash deviously between his narrowed eyes.  
  
“You should be more careful, little alpha.”  
  
Eyes widening, your hands clenched at your sides and your heart quickened at a rapid speed.  He started to lean in closer, the action making you hold your breath and wishing you could just move your damn body!!!  
  
He blew smoke into your face, breath reeking of dry, bitter cigars while his hand reached up to grab a lock of your hair.  “We wouldn’t want you to have an _**accident**_.”  
  
Fear gripped you.  It was becoming hard to breathe and you wanted him to go the hell away.  His whole demeanor screamed of danger and death and you had the feeling that he knew just how to manipulate people to get what he wanted.  Even his voice made you nervous, so deep and smooth, as if he could talk you out of all your personal belongings and no one would stop him.  
  
Taking a deep breath, you steeled yourself and glared right at him, but your voice came out small and pathetic.  “L-Let me through.”  
  
He hummed, fingers twirling the lock of your hair around.  “How is the wolf doing?  Has he killed anyone yet?”  
  
You looked up at him and hissed, voice stronger and angrier.  “ **Leave Zoro alone.** ”   
  
“That won’t work on me, little Alpha.”  He moved closer and you found yourself being backed into a corner, his body blocking out any chance of escape.  You couldn’t see anything, this man was so big that you had to keep yourself from clawing out his eyes to get him to back off, feeling like a caged animal about to be euthanized.  You would have if you didn’t worry about where that sand-smoke alligator thing was.  
  
He was leaning close again, invading your personal space without a care.  It felt like his whole presence was washing over you and trapping you.  His whole aura just screamed power and charisma and it was completely overwhelming.  You did not like him.  Do not like, do not like!!  
  
“What do you want?!  Why are you after us?”  You seethed, pushing yourself as far against the corner as you could.  
  
Could his grin get any wider?  He was enjoying your uneasiness too much for comfort.  “I’m merely cleaning up my territory.”  
  
You glared up at him, “I won’t let you touch him.”  
  
He was now in your face, amused at everything you did, like he knew something you didn’t.  “Oh, I have many plans for your _Beserker_.”  
  
  
 _’My what…?’_  
  
  
“If you think I’m going to let you hurt him-“ Your hand moved up to try and push the man away but he snatched it in his own and crushed it hard between his fingers; making you cry out softly in pain.  
  
“Play nice, little alpha.”  He cooed, squeezing your hand tighter while you used your free one to try and pull his fingers off of you.  “I only have so much patience-“  
  
“Oi.”  
  
The male paused, eyes narrowing and cigar hanging from his lips as he stood up straight and looked behind him.  You couldn’t see who he was looking at, but whoever it was caused his grip to grow tighter around your hand; the pain was unbearable at his point, it felt like your fingers were about to be broken in too many places to count.  
  
The air grew tense and cold, goosebumps running down your arms as dread washed over you.  
  
“What do you think you’re doing?”  
  
It was that stranger again, his voice not as deep as Cigar man, but still smooth.  It had a lilt to it and a hint of…French?  Yes, it sounded a bit like a french accent.  Cigar man didn’t respond, just roll the tobacco between his teeth before smiling and letting you go.  He backed away from you and chuckled, hand going into his pocket in a relaxed manner.    
  
“Just having a little chat,” The man grinned nonchalantly at the stranger you still couldn’t see.  You tried to keep to the corner, a bit afraid the witch or whatever he was would change his mind and go back to tormenting you.  
  
He started to walk away and down the hall, brushing past your savior in a relaxed manner.  They didn’t say anything to each other, but it seemed like the look they gave one another said a thousand words.  None of them nice.  And then the Cigar man was gone, most likely back to his table where he would enjoy an expensive steak while plotting his next move to kill Zoro and you.  
  
You rubbed your hand gently and scowled, feeling like a weakling for not doing anything but cower in a corner.  Zoro was right, you needed to learn self-defense.  
  
“Are you alright?”  
  
You looked up, finally getting a good glimpse of the man who helped you.  He was right in front of you now, his voice soft and less harsh as it had been with your tormentor.  It sounded nice and soothing and you were instantly drawn in.  
  
But it was his face that made it feel like your breath had been taken away.  The man was tall and lean, face smooth and firm; it was almost like he was feminine and masculine at the same time.  He had blonde hair that fell over one eye and strange, swirly eyebrows that seemed completely natural on him.  A bit of peach fuzz grew on his chin into a dark goatee while his jaw already showed signs of a five o'clock shadow that made him look roguish.  
  
His eyes were a sparkling blue, deep and dark like an ocean and filled with true concern for you.  He wore an expensive looking black suit, a bit rumbled at the bottom and the collar underneath (which was blue and black pinstriped).  He had a strange classic face, like something you would see in old historical paintings instead of men like today.  This guy would probably rock a musketeer uniform or classical knight armor.  
  
“I-I’m fine,” you muttered, blushing a little as he stared down at you.  Compared to cigar guy, this man’s aura felt relaxed and warm and it was loads better.  
  
He looked seriously at you for a moment, assessing you before grinning.  “I’m glad!  I don’t like it when someone hurts one of our ladies.”  
  
Pffft, lady?  You?  
  
You laughed and, without thinking, patted his chest. “I can handle myself, but thank you.”  
  
This seemed to be the wrong thing to do though.  The man went from cool and suave guy to grinning idiot; eyes sparkling and cheeks flushed.  
  
“I would risk everything to help a woman in need.”  He super close now and completely throwing you off balance.  Then he was on his knees and gripping your hands very gently in his own.   “If you were to call my name, I would come running without a second thought.  I would fly over mountains, swim through oceans, and battle demons just to see you smile.”  
  
You laughed nervously, unsure how to process all that.  “U-Um, I don’t really know your name-?“  
  
He stood up quickly, still clasping your hands in his own, “My name is Sanji!  It's a pleasure to meet a _Mademoiselle_ as beautiful as yourself~!"  
  
This was definitely weird.  “Oh, um, thank you Sanji-“  
  
Blood suddenly dripped out of his nose and you gasped, watching him practically light up when his name slipped from your lips.  He looked as if the very heavens had opened up and sang their joyous song just for him, his body trembling and wiggling in delight while you stood there awkwardly.  
  
"To hear such a gentle flower whisper a name as unworthy as mine," He whispered, talking more to himself at this point.  Then he was bowing at you, taking your hand once more before giving you a warm smile.  "Please, let me escort you to your table."  
  
And then you were whisked away, feeling like your feet were floating on air as he led you right back to your table with stylish grace.  Before you knew it, he was pulling out your chair for you and placing a vase with a single rose on the table, making you do a double take and wonder where the hell he'd gotten that from.  
  
It was then that your friend squealed, "Sanji~!  I'm so happy to see you again!"  
  
The blonde brightened and was bowing to your friend with a warm smile, eyes sparkling just like they had been when he'd looked at you.  " _Mademoiselle_  Madeline, it's wonderful to see you again."  
  
She practically melted in her seat, waving at Sanji while also hold her blushing cheek.  "Oh you!!  I told you to call me Maddy!"  
  
Oh geeze, gag fest.  
  
Now it seemed obvious, this man was weak against women and possibly filled with the need to proclaim his love for every beautiful _"Mademoiselle"_  he met.  Now it seemed kind of silly you had been taken by him for a second.  Bad _______, bad!  
  
"I'm happy you like our food so much to visit twice in one week," He smiled and pulled a little notebook out of his pocket to take your orders.  You gave Maddy a look, wondering if she was crazy enough to actually come to the same place twice in a week just for a guy.  
  
She sighed and watched him dreamily.  Of course she was, why did you even bother to think otherwise?  
  
Most of dinner was met with whimsical sighs, suave pick up lines and wonderful food.  Sanji was the perfect waiter, filling your glasses when they were close to emptying, apply just the right amount of spices and sauces to your sizzling meals and entertaining you with interesting stories while ignoring all the other guests that were supposedly in his section.  Oddly enough, this seemed normal and everyone around him seemed to pick up his slack.  It made you wonder how he'd kept his job if he blatantly ignored customers like that, but when you questioned it when he went to go grab dessert, your friend filled you in.  Apparently, he was one of the top chefs there, possibly head chef.  Maddy had only heard a bit of rumors about him, but apparently he was a big deal on the food scene and even graced a magazine cover or two.  
  
That made you reevaluate him a bit, watching him interact with guests as he walked by them with your desserts in hand.    
  
You had to admit though, despite this weird phenomenon of a man, this place had amazing food.  You were sure you saw the gates of heaven a few times you took bites out of your food.  It made you forget all about the witch and his smug face.  
  
"How much should I tip him?"  You asked in a low whisper when Sanji turned to grab a pitcher of water for you both.  
  
Maddy gasped and waved her hands at you, "Let's both tip him with a kiss~!"  
  
You scowled, "No."  
  
She whined but instantly went back into a giddy mess when he turned his attention back to you both.  You hoped she found a new guy to fawn over soon, you doubted she could afford to keep coming here on a daily basis...  
  
"Do you ladies wish to be escorted to your car?"  Sanji asked with a smile, holding out his arms to you both after you paid for the meal.  
  
"Oh, no thank y-"  
  
"You can escort me~!"  Maddy was on his arm in an instant, practically going gaga and giving him fluttering glances.  You sighed and stood up, knowing it'd be pointless to fight it, but when Sanji held out his arm to you, you waved it away.  
  
"That's okay, I'm fine."   
  
He looked a bit disappointed but Maddy patted his arm, "Don't take it personally, she just has a boyfriend."  
  
"W-What?!"  You never told her that!!  How'd she know!!?  
  
As good as any gunman in a quickdraw, Maddy was pulling out her phone and showing Sanji a picture of what looked like you and Zoro shopping at a grocery store, laughing and standing impossibly close.  
  
"W-When did you take that?!!"  Oh geeze, she must have spotted you both at the store and snapped a photo out of glee.  Damn it, why were you friends!?!  
  
"You two looked so cute, I couldn't help it."  She grinned, holding up the phone for Sanji who studied the picture with a blank face.  
  
Curiously, his eyes had widened at the picture, as if shocked he'd been unable to snag you before another guy did.  Then his eyes held anger that was gone as quickly as it came.  He gave you a smile, tight and sad.  
  
"I only wish I had met you earlier, then perhaps it would be you and me enjoying our time together."  
  
Sanji's eyes were such a dark blue and you couldn't help but stare right into them, feeling drawn in more and more that you had to quickly snap out of it when an image of Zoro popped into your head.  What the hell was wrong with you?  Were you becoming smitten with this man?  Bad bad bad!!  
  
You gave him a smile, "I'm sure there's someone out there for you!  Don't give up!"  
  
Your encouragement seemed to cheer him up considerably and he was instantly proclaiming your beauty and charm to the whole restaurant, kneeling before you once more with bright smile on his face and his eyes forming into hearts.  
  
Dear lord, you prayed for the woman who fell in love with this guy.


	23. Chapter 23

 

 

 

You were eager to get home at this point.  

You wanted to see Zoro and tell him all about the cigar guy so you could both figure out what to do.  The enemy had basically outed himself and now there was something to go on.  No more waiting for another "accident", no more looking over your shoulder for the next hunter that may come along, no more being in the dark.  

Now you knew the enemy's face and, surprisingly, his name.

The idea had came to you when you realized the Host wasn't at his podium, off somewhere seating guests or making phone calls while the book full of people's names and reservations laid wide open for anyone to peek.  Sanji was leading you both to the entrance, letting Maddy hang off his arm and chatter away about this and that while you trailed behind, keeping an eye out for any danger that may come your way; the last thing you needed to be doing was letting your guard down.

While the two were waiting for the elevator and becoming absorbed in conversation, you quickly slipped behind the podium and scanned the list.  It took a second to figure out the organization written in the book but you managed to spot Maddy's name scribbled on one of the lines along with the date and time.  Your eyes moved onto the next name, knowing the creepy bastard had come in right after you both, bumping into you and staring you down like some serial killer.  Just remembering when he cornered you in the hallway and invaded your personal space made you shiver, puffing cigar smoke into your face and leaning in uncomfortably close while squeezing your hand tightly.  The look he had given you had made you feel extremely nervous, narrowed eyes roaming over your body as if he were going to eat you up.

You quickly shook your head.  There wasn't time to think about all that, you needed to find out his name and get out.  You focused on the list again and glared at the next line, an unsettling knot twisting in your stomach as you read the signature.

 

 

 

_**Crocodile.** _

 

****

Not only was it ominous and fitting, it was the only thing written on his line, no last name or even an initial.  Just Crocodile.

It screamed James Bond villain.

Satisfied in your amazing detective skills, you hurried back to Maddy and Sanji who hadn't seemed to notice your lack of input into their conversation.  This continued all the way to the car, Maddy flirting with Sanji, Sanji gushing over how pretty she was then looking back at you and doing the same and so on.  It kind of made you glad Zoro wasn't much of a talker.  You didn't think you could stand the constant cooing and lovestruck gazes - it almost made you gag.

Not that Sanji was bad or anything.  He just didn't seem to be your type...You thought so anyways.  How could anyone be so attractive?  It kind of confused you that you kept sending him quick glances just to see his face or stare at his hair or linger on his mouth.  It was a bit worrying and you had to focus on not staring at him just so you wouldn't look like some creeper.

It had been hard at first, but once you started to focus only on thoughts of Zoro did it become easy.  Sanji might be handsome in a fairy tale sense, but Zoro had that wild, bad boy feel to him.  Silly, yes, but holy crap you loved it.  His body was so firm and strong against your hands and the way his muscles rippled under your touch each time, it made you feel amazing that you could have such an affect on someone and vice versa.  Not only was he sexy as all hell, he had the best personality; he didn't smile much, but when he did it was magical.  Not to mention his snark was fun and everyone needed snark in their lives.

Plus, Zoro was probably one of the few guys who could put up with you.

You thought about the wolf the whole time in the car, dropping off Maddy at her place before hurrying home to tell Zoro about your recent discovery at  _Baratie_.  Even though you had the enemy's name, it probably wouldn't be of much help considering it was a type of animal.  Google would be of no help unless you got lucky, there'd have to be a way to find out about him personally.  

Damn it, you wished you had a way to contact Mihawk so you could ask him some questions.  The jerk should have filled you both in on all this before things escalated.  But nooooo, he had to be all cool and disappear to who knows where.  You were annoyed and frustrated you only had a name to go by but also happy you'd found something out.  You even briefly pictured Zoro looking proud of you and cuddling close as a reward.

Mmmm, cuddling.

This quickly occupied your mind when you parked the car and made your way to your apartment.  Just imagining Zoro hugging and petting you before he moved onto to more naughtier things, like kissing and nipping~.  Maybe some stripping?  Oh yes, definitely some stripping.

You would have been more aware of how much you were probably leaking over the bond with your perverted thoughts, but you've had a long day and you wanted to daydream!  Despite saying you could wait, you still couldn't help but want to get to third base; even going so far to mark your calendar with the lunar cycle.  It's best to know when your boyfriend was going to be extra frisky, you know, for science! 

You unlocked the front door, thinking about the next full moon that was coming in a few days.  Maybe you were ready...

The first thing you noticed when you opened the door to your apartment was the smell.  It was a strong mixture of grilled fish and sizzling oil, coating the air and making your nose tickle.  You could hear someone messing around in the kitchen, clattering pans and plates while bustling about.

You blinked once, twice, then wondered if you had the wrong apartment.  

It couldn't have been Zoro.  The wolf had been very wary of the kitchen ever since he tried to cook that one time at the cabin - the last thing he wanted was to burn down your apartment after already breaking your window, twisting off your bathroom doorknob, staining the living room carpet with his blood, and just everything in general.

You loved him, but he was a walking disaster. 

“Hello?”

You should have ran.  You should have turned tail and head for the nearest bus stop or airport and booked a ticket to another planet.  It was like you were a character in a simulation game and someone just loved to set up obstacles so they could watch you struggle.  Now all you had to do was wait for the ladder to a pool to suddenly disappear and find that you can’t remember how to climb out, or maybe even the door to your bathroom to be taken away with a click of a button.

At least if you were trapped in a bathroom then you wouldn’t have to deal with-

“________!”

You flinched, her voice already putting you on edge as memories of growing up with this woman surfaced.

“M-Mom??!”

She walked out of the kitchen, fork in hand and looking prim and proper as ever.  She was just barely shorter then you and had the tan of a lifetime, most likely having just come from a salon to have her nails and hair done.  She wore one of her usual power suits that cluttered her closet along with a shiny new pair of heels that made your feet hurt just looking at them.

She glared at you, waving her utensil around.  “It’s about time you got home!  Do you know how late it is?!  You shouldn’t be walking around at night, not in this part of town.”

“How did you get in here?!”  You were positive you didn’t give her a spare key, you would have jumped off a bridge before handing over something as precious as your privacy to your overbearing mother. 

“Your neighbor was kind enough to let me inside,” She tutted.  “I always liked him.”

**Betrayal!**  

“Why are-“

“What happened to your window?”  She interrupted, glaring and pointing at the plywood covering the broken glass. 

“I-“ 

“You should get it fixed right away!  Someone could break right in and murder you in your sleep.”

“Well-“

“And don’t even get me started on that crack in your wall!  You need to move out right away before your whole roof collapses!”  

Of course she would notice Mihawk’s sword slash, no matter how thin and minuscule it was.  She noticed everything.  “Mom, I can’t really afford to move anywhere else…”

She huffed and turned to go back into the kitchen with you following behind, “Then you need to get another job.”

Deep breath.  This was your mother, be nice.  “School takes up-“

“Nonsense.  I was working full time at an office and going to school when I was your age,” She replied haughtily.  The smaller woman turned, making you jerk to a stop to keep from bumping into her.  “You’re getting a business degree, right?”

You rolled your eyes, “History.  Same as last semester.”

Her face twisted in disappointment.  “You won’t make enough money to support yourself.  At least go into computers, or nursing.  Those are always in demand.”

The thought of changing bed pans and cleaning up blood didn’t sound appealing whatsoever.  And computers?  You could barely keep your Neopet alive, much less write code.  Besides, you liked history; better to live to work then work to live.

“I’ll keep it in mind, mom.”

She looked like she didn’t believe you, but she never really took your word for much.  This was the woman who thought you were on drugs at the age of thirteen and proceeded to give you a lecture on how you were basically guzzling Ajax from under the sink.  

“You’re meant for great things, ______.  I know if you just applied yourself-“ 

“What are you cooking?”  Better to cut her off now before she went into ‘Concern Mom’ mode.

“Salmon.”

“What?  I don’t have any salmon here.”

“I went out and bought some, I thought we would have a nice meal and talk.”  She smiled, looking pleased with her decision despite never asking if you were even free for the night.  

“I just ate-“ 

Just as you said this, a black dog padded into the kitchen, claws clacking on the tile floor as he yawned and went to lean against you.  You reached down to pet Zoro, waiting for your mom to complain about you having a large animal when you could barely afford this apartment, but she merely gushed and kneeled by him, scratching the scruff of his neck and behind his ears. 

“I’m glad you listened to me on one thing, a guard dog is exactly what you need for this…area.”  Her nostrils flared a little, as if the whole apartment complex smelled like sewage.  “He barked and growled as soon as I walked in-“ 

You gazed down at your boyfriend, eyes slightly wide at the thought of him attacking your mother, but he wasn’t paying attention; too busy enjoying the ear scratches.

“-though, just a smack on the nose and he was immediately cowed.  You need to train him.”

 

_What??_  

 

You quickly looked down at your 'dog' and used all your willpower to hold back your laughter.  Just imagining this little woman striding in with the utmost confidence then stop and watch Zoro, a **werewolf** , come barreling in.  He would be happy, thinking it was you but then grow wary then all growly when he realized it wasn't his sexy mate at the door.  Zoro wouldn't bark, just flash his already intimidating fangs that would send anyone running.

But not your mother.  She would huff then put her hands on her hips and glare right back.  Zoro would take this challenge and step forward, then he would give off a warning growl that would make the room practically vibrate with danger.  Then she would suddenly step forward and bop him right on the nose.  It wouldn't hurt, but the shock from the action would definitely throw the wolf off.

The imagery was beautiful.  You wished you could have been here to see it.

“He’s much too big for this apartment though.  You should move so he has a yard.” 

  
_'Give me strength.'_

"Yes, mom."

"I know this great complex near my place-"  

 

~~~

 

" _Ooomph!!!_ "   You momentarily lost the control to breathe as the wind was knocked out of you, your chest heaving and body wiggling while Zoro pinned you down on the floor.  He frowned and loosened his grip, waiting for you to catch your breath before he helped you up.

"Again."  

You didn't have time to respond, the wolf moving in to hit you in a series of light punches that you'd been training to dodge for the past week now.  You managed to block the first few but he grew faster and forced you to back up, almost bumping into the TV and knocking it over before he grabbed you and threw you to the ground again.  

You were sure your downstairs neighbors hated you right now, but Zoro insisted on getting you in some kind of fighting shape.  Though you hated all these crazy exercises, you knew it was for the best.  Ever since yesterday at the restaurant you've felt a bit more vulnerable, like meeting the threat was finally making the situation more real.  More dangerous.  Besides, you were gonna look hot once your body got all toned and slim.

"I told you to watch your blind spot," The wolf chided.

You sat up on your arms and pouted, "I thought I was..."

You couldn't blame Zoro for being serious, but dang, he did not hold back.  He didn't use a lot of strength to punch you, but he was still pretty fast and showed no mercy when throwing you down.  You already had a few bruises on your butt that made it annoying to sit down and you would grumble about it for a bit.  It seemed you were getting more stamina despite the constant falling down, able to get back up quicker and quicker each time; even Zoro seemed to notice after only a few weeks of exercise.  Maybe you were getting stronger?

You stood up and rubbed your back, flinching at what felt like another bruise forming.  "You didn't have to throw me so hard."

"The enemy won't be gentle," Zoro frowned.  He sounded annoyed, but his actions were telling another story.  As soon as he saw your flinch he moved in close, hands reaching out to feel around until he found the ache and start to rub it very gently.  It made you more relaxed and loose, letting him administer aftercare while stepping closer to him and nuzzling into his chest.  

_Oh yes_ , all these strict lessons were worth it if Zoro continued to give you awesome massages.

He continued to rub the spot, the touch making you lean more against him as his arms entwined around your body.  Zoro was then hugging you close and abandoned his massage in favor of burrowing his face into your hair and petting the back of your neck.  He inhaled your scent and practically purred, a pleased rumble vibrating in his chest and making you grip his hips.  

"You are getting better."  His voice was low and sultry, as if he was in a daze while his hands started to sluggishly roam your back.

The compliment made you grin, moving to poke your boyfriend's sides multiple times.  "Marimo is so proud of me~!"

Zoro scowled, feeling the mood ruined as he quickly tried to pull away, but it was hard considering your were latched to him like a leech; grinning up at him as you saw the tips of his ears turn red.  "Damn it!  Forget I said anything!"

You laughed and tried to push him down, determined to beat him when he was thrown off from your name calling.  This didn't work in your favor though, the wolf was too used to combat so he easily swept you over his hip in one smooth motion.  You yelped as you found yourself falling forward, ready to sport a new bruise as you neared the floor, but it didn't happen.  Instead, Zoro seemed to stop you mid fall, grabbing your waist and lightly lowering you to the ground.  He turned you onto your back and moved on top of you, smirk forming on his lips as he wiggled his fingers under your the hem of your tank top.

"You still have a long way to go."

Face flushed, you reached up to rub his arms, seeing his eyes flash with lust as he lowered his mouth to yours.  The kiss was more rough then normal, lips clamoring for attention while his fingers slowly started to push up your top.  Your hands moved to his face, dragging your digits across his cheeks and to his hair where you gripped the green locks with insistent need.  He growled and grabbed your wrists, holding them down above your head as he continued to devour your mouth and press you harder into the floor.  It was kind of new and very exciting.  Zoro had been very strange about being dominant in make out sessions, as if you being his alpha made it wrong for him to take charge.  But this was a welcome change, bold Zoro was best Zoro.

You moaned softly as you felt his tongue slink into your mouth, pushing and prodding your own while the lower half of his body started to grind against yours.  His hips nudged into you forcefully, bodies flushed together and rubbing into one another as the need to touch each other grew stronger.  You wanted to reach down and unbutton his jeans, to wiggle your hand right past his waist band and hold his hard-

Someone knocked loudly on the front door, the sound making Zoro's head jerk up and growl angrily at the entrance.  His eyes seemed to glow in rage, wanting to hurt whoever was interrupting his 'play time'.  You were startled at the sight and called his name, watching him breathe heavily and continue to snarl at whoever was on the other side.

"Zoro...?"

Once you called out to him again he seemed to calm down, eyes looking normal once more as he realized how he was acting.  He actually looked a little guilty as he got off you, face a dark red as he tried his hardest to look at everywhere but you.

"...Sorry."  Then he was hurrying out of the room and down the hall, shoulders tense and fingers twitching as he closed the bedroom door behind him.  You sat up and stared, wondering what had him so...tense.  Was he finally willing to have sex?  Did he think you were ready now and just annoyed there hadn't been a right time?  Zoro was always in control of his emotions but it seemed they were being bottled up for too long, the man becoming more willing to initiate intimacy at the drop of a hat.  This session had been particularly hot and heavy with the way he held you down and rubbed against you... 

Sighing in disappointment, you got up and adjusted your shirt before answering the door.

Then you wanted to close it and pretend you never saw a thing.

But you couldn't.  It would be rude to pretend one's mother was a solicitor.

Just why the hell was she back again!?  She was here just last night, for _hours_.  The woman had gone on and on about this and that and now she wanted to do a round two?  Did you need to move to another state to be free of all this?!

"Mom, you're back."  You gave her a forced smile, trying to gather up some kind of positive energy so you didn't seem like an ungrateful child.

She was wearing big, white sunglasses and a nice dress suit and white heels.  These looked just as brand new as the ones she wore yesterday, only taller and more painful looking.  She wasn't even gazing up at you, just texting on her work phone and holding her giant, cherry red purse.

"Good.  You're home, we're going to lunch."

You twitched, "Mom, I already have-"

She didn't really look like she cared, already giving you a disappointed look.  "First you refuse to eat dinner with me, now lunch?  I raised you better then that."

Oh shit, here comes the guilt train.

"I-I just-!!  You-!!!"  You wanted to pull at your hair, "This is way too last minute!!  I'm sweaty and gross and everything!!"

Not to mention you had a horny man to seduce in your bedroom.

She waved you off, "Just put on some deodorant and comb your hair.  You'll be fine."

You weren't going to win this.  You never won any of the arguments you two had.  At this point, it was just easier to go along with it until she got bored and went back to her normal life.  She would probably keep visiting anyways if you kept 'blowing her off'.  

"Fine," You sighed in exasperation.  "Just, wait here a second and I'll change."

She nodded and went back to texting as she stepped into your living room.  You rubbed your eyes tiredly and went back to your bedroom, wondering how long this little lunch date was going to be.  

You were a bit hesitant when you opened the door, remembering that Zoro had hastily retreated back here to do who know's what.  Once you did open it did you realized he wasn't doing anything behind the closed door, just sitting cross-legged on the bed with his back towards the door and hands gripping his knees.  He seemed in deep thought and looked even more tense when you walked in.

"Hey, I'm going to lunch with my mom...do you want to come?"

It probably wasn't the best time to introduce the two, but you didn't want to up and ditch him.

You were a bit worried about Zoro, having never seen him so withdrawn before.  He didn't even turn to look at you, just grunt and wave you off.  Not having any of that, you moved closer and got a good look at his face, seeing it was scrunched up as if he were holding something back with all his willpower.

"Zoro?"

He took a deep breath, then another; air loudly rushing out of his mouth as he seemed to gain some semblance of control.  "I'm fine..."

You moved to get on the bed with him but he quickly held up his hand to stop you, eyes narrowed as he glared at the mattress.  "Don't.  If you do I..."

He cursed under his breath and rubbed the lower half of his face, "Sorry...it's getting closer to the full moon so..."

Ah, that explained a few things.

You smiled, body abuzz with the idea that Zoro was as sexually frustrated as you, "It's okay.  I won't be gone long...maybe we can pick up where we left off when I get home?"

Your voice sounded hopeful and you watched as his brow furrowed in thought, but he didn't answer.  You waited for some kind of rejection but were surprised when you felt a gentle nuzzle of emotion in the bond, making your nerves tingle and body twitch with excitement.

That was a maybe.  A beautiful, sexy maybe~!

Mood suddenly brighter, you swooped in and gave his cheek a big kiss before you changed into some clean clothes.  He growled and touched the spot where your lips had brushed against his skin, watching you closely as you started to change out of your outfit.  You winked and stripped slowly, loving how his eyes roamed over your body as you tried to seal the deal for when you got back.  Best to leave him frustrated and wanting so he'd be more willing to actually do it.

The show didn't really last as long as you would have liked, knowing it was best not to keep your mother waiting for long.  But you did manage to entice a few pleased growls from him when you flashed him a bit of leg as you changed into your jeans, he even got a nice peek at your breasts when you changed bras.  He seemed more rigid then before, fingers digging into his knees as he kept his gaze on you when you slipped on a shirt; but he also looked satisfied, as if the strip tease had given him something nice to think about while you were gone.

But that wasn't enough for you.  

You liked the idea of him wanting more so you went over to him and gave him a forceful kiss, hands moving to massage his shoulders while your tongue slithered into his mouth to play with his.  They felt firm and big in your hands as you gripped him, feeling his hands move to your waist and try to pull you into his lap.  You quickly pulled away with a playful grin, loving the look of frustration on his face when you dared to stop.

You flicked his earrings playfully before leaving the room, hoping he saw the sway of your hips and the skip in your step.  You didn't have to say a word, just knew he wanted to pull you back into the room and lock the door.

Your mother was tapping her foot impatiently as you walked in, her eyes still on her phone as she spoke in an irritated tone.  "Hurry up, I have a reservation saved for us."

It was a wonder she even knew you walked into the room with how much she was glued to her phone.  Who were you to complain though?  At least she didn't know you had a hot guy sitting in your bedroom with a big hard on.

The both of you walked out the door, locking it behind you as you headed down the stairs and towards her fancy looking car.

"Where are we eating?"

She smiled as she put her phone away and pulled out her keys.  "Oh, this lovely place downtown.  I'm sure you'll like it.  It's called _Baratie_."

Fucking really?


	24. Chapter 24

"Have you talked to your father lately?"  
  
"No, he's still on his cross country trip."  You pushed the button for the top floor then leaned against the wall as the elevator doors closed.  
  
Your mother's upper lip twitched, "Probably jumping off cliffs or climbing a damn mountain."  
  
You laughed, finding it funny that she still disapproved of your dad's hobbies even after the divorce.  You knew they would never get near enough to poke each other with a ten foot pole, much less get back together; but it was still amusing that they worried about one another.  "I wouldn't be surprised if he was walking a tightrope between skyscrapers."  
  
She huffed and started texting on her phone, "He better watch it.  He can't be doing that stuff any longer, he's too old."  
  
You shrugged, "It makes him happy."  
  
"Yes, until he breaks his neck.  You wait, he'll come home in a body cast just like last time."  
  
"Well, he won't have to buy any new equipment if he does..."  
  
Just as you said this, the elevator dinged before its' doors opened and the sounds of clinking silverware and dining room chatter met your ears.  Spices and wafts of cooking food quickly took over your senses, making your mouth water and your stomach growl eagerly.  You hadn't realized you were this hungry, all that sexy teasing much have stirred up your appetite.  
  
But, you'd still prefer to be at home eating with Zoro, maybe a pizza, while the two of you watched a movie.  You would have some kind of dessert ready, something that required a lot of whipped cream.  Just as you thought of this your mind flashed you images of you and Zoro eating from each other's forks.  You'd grin as you take a bite of his food, dragging your lips slowly as you took every morsel from the utensil.  He'd watch closely while you'd licked your lips and swallow, then you'd reach down and dip a finger in the cream before smearing it across his bare chest-  
  
Blushing, you quickly stopped your daydream when what felt like a splash of emotions wash over you, angry lust and impatience roaring inside your abdomen, making your eye twitch and your legs inadvertently rub together.  The heat quickly coiled then spread up your chest, your heart starting to beat uncontrollably as images of a man's hands gripping your kitchen table flashed before your eyes.  You could see the sharp claws dig deep into the wood, chipping at the table and looking ready to crack under the firm grip.  You were confused a moment, unsure what you were seeing until you were suddenly back in the restaurant and staring at your mom's back as she stepped off the elevator.  
  
What the hell was that?!  Was that your kitchen table?!  Had...Had you been looking through Zoro's eyes?!  Did you two just have some weird psychic thing happen???  You reached up and rubbed your head, wondering if it had something to do with the bond.  Maybe emotions really were running high between you two if you could start seeing what the other was doing.  You quickly pulled out your phone and dialed home, listening to it ring while you walked over to the podium with your mom.   
  
It rang a few times but no one answered.  A scowl formed on your face as you glared at the screen, wondering if Zoro was okay.  
  
"Ladies~!"    
  
You looked up, expecting to see Sanji dancing behind the podium (because who else would greet guests in such a way?), but was met with a taller blonde who smiled and practically sparkled.  It was kind of...plastic like?  His hair was slicked back a bit from his face, he had tiny curls at the end of his eyebrows that looked to have been plucked recently and his lips seemed to be sculpted, like some weird fashion model.  He was pretty tall too, probably having to slouch a little whenever he walked through doorways.    
  
Your mother took off her big sunglasses to look up at the large male while you pocketed your phone.  
  
"Welcome to _Baratie_!!  Do you have a reservation?"  
  
"Yes, for two-"  
  
"What???  I'm handsome?!"  He grinned widely at you both, white teeth blindingly bright.  
  
Your mother put her sunglasses back on.  "We'd like a seat by the window."  
  
"Of course~!"  The man laughed heartily, grabbing two menus and leading you both through the dining room and towards the clear glass walls.  Once seated, he placed the menu's down in front of you both, then he...posed?  He kneeled right beside your table, arm resting on one knee as he gave you a 'charming' grin.  
  
"My name's Duval, just call on me if you need anything."  You watched in horrified fascination as his face started to screw up, mouth opening wide, tongue hanging out and veins pulsing on his forehead.  He looked like he was pain, one eye trying to close while the other seemed to roll in the back of his head as he...Holy shit, was he trying to wink!?!  
  
"T-Thanks," You smiled, albeit nervously.  You just wished he'd stop making that face, it made your cheeks ache.  
  
" _ **Hahaha!**_ "  He gave you a thumbs up before he jumped up and strolled off, still laughing as he bumped his head against a low beam near the entrance.  
  
Your mother looked at the back of the menu, glancing over the alcohol section before she stood.  "Order me a _Corona_ , I'm going to freshen up in the bathroom."  
  
You nodded and watched her go before pulling out your phone to call home again, disappointed when the call went unanswered for the second time.    
  
"Damn it," You resisted the urge to slam the phone on the table as you looked out the window.  You had to take a few moments to settle your racing thoughts, still confused and upset from that vision.  Zoro had told you that there was no way to read minds over the bond...but did seeing through the person's eyes count as mind reading?  Just how did you even do that?!  Had he seen the restaurant just as you saw your kitchen?  The wolf had been gripping the table as if he was really frustrated...maybe angry?  Shit, you wished he would just answer the phone!  
  
It's okay.  Just settle down.  You decided to focus on the scenery outside, the afternoon sun shining over the city and it's handful of skyscrapers that were scattered around.  It looked pretty nice today, though you can tell a bit off in the distance that a storm was coming.  The dark grey hues seemed to clash against the bright blue sky, little hints of light flashing through the clouds as electricity seemed to build up.  It was getting to be around spring time, so the temperatures would be dropping and rising without warning.  This always caused some questionable weather so you wouldn't be surprised if there was going to be a tornado in the coming months.  
  
Despite the approaching storm, your mind still strayed to Zoro.  You frowned at your reflection and wondered if you should call him again.  Did you accidentally push him over the edge with your teasing and that perverted daydream?  Was he mad at you?  You tried to reach out through the bond, hesitant, but concerned.    
  
Nothing.  
  
You tried again, but was met with silence, like Zoro had built up a mental wall to block you out.  Shit, had you messed up!?  
  
You blinked, eyes focusing on the background of your reflection, seeing rows of tables and people eating their meals.  The booth just behind your reflection was occupied, a large man sitting in it's plush seat with his arms draped over the back and holding a small glass in one hand; gently tilting it back and forth to keep his alcohol from settling.  He seemed to be...staring at you?   _That was creepy._  
  
Then you finally noticed his face, your eyes widening when you saw the long scar across his nose.  You turned around quickly to look at the booth, it's location just beside your table a few feet away.  It was pushed against a small wall that sectioned off parts of the dining room, a few potted plants sitting on the wall and shading Crocodile in his comfortable position.  
  
He grinned at you widely, cigar rolling between his teeth as he tilted the small glass filled with ice and amber liquid again.  He then sipped his drink, eyeing you in amusement as he crossed his leg over his knee.    
  
"Why the sad face, Little Alpha?"  
  
You gripped the edge of your seat stiffly, staring at the man with narrowed eyes and rising anxiety.  He was wearing a different suit today, a dark, charcoal brown with a snakeskin tie tucked beneath his black vest.  The man still had his dark coat draped over his shoulders, white fur fanned out around his ears and looking stark and wild against his slick, black hair.  The ice in his drink shifted, the many rings adorning his fingers clinking against the glass as he took another sip of alcohol.  
  
Even if you weren't close to him, you could feel the sleazy aura radiate off of him, coating your skin like smog in the most nauseating way.  You licked your lips, feeling they were drier then normal.  But you knew why, something brushing roughly against your legs while specks of sand slipped past the hem of your jeans and rubbing your skin raw.  
  
"Stop it," You hissed, wondering how bad your luck was if you could simply run into the enemy in the same place, **twice**.  Did he come here everyday?  Didn't he have anything better to do then picking on a cute, little thing like you?  
  
He smirked, "Why don't you tell me all about it?  I'm sure we have a lot to talk about."  
  
Ugh, just his voice made your skin crawl.  It was too damn deep and intimidating, making you wonder just how much more scarier it was when he was angry.  It seemed like his tone had a flirting lilt to it too, but more so to make you uncomfortable then actual interest...You hoped, anyways.  
  
The invisible creature tightened itself around one of your legs, squeezing it until it felt like you were going to lose some circulation.  You shifted in your seat, trying to push whatever was on your leg off but it you couldn't grab on to anything; just felt bits of sand swirl around your fingers.  
  
Crocodile smirked wider, tapping ash off his cigar in one of the plants behind him.  "Are you comfortable?"  
  
You gasped as the grip grew tighter, wrapping high up on your thigh and suddenly making you fear that he was going to rip your whole leg off.  Without thinking, you tried to reach out to Zoro but was blocked by the wall again which only made you panic.  You struggled in your seat, hoping someone would just come help you!!  You hadn't realized you said Zoro's name under your breath, tone pathetic and scared while you continued to try and push the creature off your leg.  
  
The man brought his cigar to his lips and took a long hit, looking a little disappointed.  "Calling for help?  Can't you handle yourself?"  
  
You glared, anger now boiling inside you.  " **Leave me alone!** "  
  
His grin was suddenly back in full force, laughing heartedly while you writhed in the chair.  "Much better.  I like it when they fight back."  
  
How dare he!!  You wanted to rip that smug look off his stupid face!!  
  
Crocodile leaned forward to watch more closely, taking pleasure in your pain while it felt like the sand was now digging into your skin.  "Where is the beser-"  
  
A hand slammed on Crocodile's table, stopping him mid sentence as Sanji stood there and glared angrily.  He had appeared out of nowhere, like your pain had summoned him to your rescue once more.  Even Crocodile looked a bit annoyed that he hadn't noticed the cook, digging his teeth a little in his cigar as he scowled up at the blonde.  
  
" _What are you doing?_ "  Sanji asked in a low tone, eyes narrowed as he looked down at the guest.  It didn't even seem like he had to ask, he just knew you were in trouble and needed to help in any way he could.  
  
Crocodile frowned, face looking darker as he leaned back in his seat.  "My job."  
  
Sanji glared even harder, fingers digging into the white table cloth and wrinkling it's pristine look.  Something seemed to flash between their eyes, like a silent conversation that you had no hope in understanding.  You weren't sure what was happening until Crocodile's shoulders stiffened and his glare hardened while Sanji continued to stare him down.  You hadn't realized the pain your leg had stopped at this point, too busy watching this silent battle that seemed to make the air cold and tense.  
  
"Crocodile," A new voice came in as a tall, dark skinned man walked next to the booth.  He wore crisp looking tuxedo that was loose at the top, his shirt fanning open a bit while a tip of a tattoo on his chest peeked over the collar.  He scowled at Sanji and stepped forward to help his boss but stopped when Crocodile held up a hand.  
  
Though Sanji continued to glare, Crocodile merely took another hit of his cigar and chuckled.  The larger male smirked and relaxed his shoulders, appearing in control once more as he stood up.  His height overwhelmed Sanji's, but the cook didn't look the least bit perturbed by this, just continued to protect you.  
  
"I can tell when I'm not wanted," Crocodile rumbled in amusement, placing down some cash on the table.    
  
Sanji hissed something to him so quietly that it actually made the taller man freeze and start sneering again.  You strained to hear what Crocodile said next, but the dining room noise seemed to be louder and all you could catch was the end of Sanji's sentence.  
  
"-don't come back."  
  
Crocodile stared down at the blonde hatefully before moving out of the booth and next to his subordinate, he fixed his sleeve while his gaze flickered to you then back to Sanji.  Then he looked smug again, as if he knew a secret as he said the next few words that seemed to have been carefully worded.  "I hope you take good care of her.  Who knows what might just eat her up?"  
  
It was a slight shift in the air, like it was suddenly boiling hot in the dining area and it was all coming from the cook.  The blonde glowered at Crocodile, hands now in his pockets and body rigid like he was ready to pounce.  But nothing happened, Crocodile just bowed his head to the blonde mockingly before he turned to leave with his friend, not even bothering to acknowledge you and what he'd done as he left the restaurant.  
  
You hadn't realized you'd been holding your breath for so long, feeling nervous anxiety build in your chest while Sanji continued to glare at Crocodile's wake as if he expected him to come back.  Then the blonde let out a long sigh and turned to you, face full of worry.  
  
"Are you okay?  Did he do anything?"  
  
You shook your head, not sure how you could explain that your leg was throbbing from being squeezed by some magic-sand alligator that no one could see.  "I-I'm fine."  
  
Sanji didn't look the least bit convinced, walking over quickly to grab your hands and rub them.  This was when you noticed they had been shaking in your lap and you watched blankly as the cook's gentle fingers knead and rub your knuckles.  It seemed to calm you down a little and you tried to give him a small smile.  
  
"T-Thanks..."  
  
He smiled back, "I'm just glad you're okay."  
  
You nodded, slowly starting to feel safe while Sanji held your hands in his own.  "I-I think I just need to go home."  
  
"What?  What's wrong?  Who's this?"    
  
You both looked up to see your mother standing there, having come back from the bathroom in time to see Sanji take your hands.  You blinked, having forgotten you had even come with her in the first place.  She looked a bit concerned, wondering why this stranger was holding her daughter's hands who also seemed to look pretty pale.  
  
"Oh, um, Mom this is Sanji.  He's my-"  Acquaintance?  Knight in shining armor?  
  
"-Friend."  Sanji finished for you, grinning widely when you didn't seem to object to this term.  
  
"It's nice to meet you..."  She looked a bit unsure, like she was missing the punchline to a joke.  
  
You stood, pulling your hands from Sanji's then smoothed down your shirt.  "I'm going home...I'm feeling a bit sick."  
  
You wanted to get to Zoro and just snuggle into him until you felt completely safe.  Just bury yourself in his arms and kiss his neck until he rumbled like an old bear and hugged you tight...if he wasn't mad at you, that is.  
  
A look of disappointment briefly flash across your mother's face, but she quickly pulled it back as worry took over.  "That's okay, we can eat lunch next time."  
  
She picked up her purse and keys to take you home but you stepped back, seeing her become confused.  "I-I think I'll take the bus.  I'm sure you have a lot of things to do then driving me around."  
  
Honestly, you just needed space from her right now.  She'd try to zero in on your problem and it'd only make it worse.  
  
"..."  Your mother stared hard at you, as if trying to read between the lines for your true intentions but finding nothing to pin point.  Then she turned to Sanji in a huff and pointed her keys at him.  "Then you take her home."  
  
"What?!"  
  
"It's too dangerous for her to be riding some bus and since you're her friend-"  
  
"Mom!"  You hissed, shocked she was being so demanding of someone she'd just met.  It took at least two or three more meetings before she started doing such a thing!!  "I'll be **fine**."  
  
"I don't mind driving you," Sanji cut in.  
  
"No, you don't have to."  But then you saw it, the hearts forming in his eyes and his smile eager to please.  He was definitely set on taking you home now.  
  
"If he doesn't mind, then it's fine."  Your mother patted you on the back with a smile.  
  
You sighed, resigned to your fate and nodding to the both of them.  Better to just get back as quickly as possible anyways, busses took forever.  
  
Saying your farewells to your mother, you watched as Sanji held out his arm to you, feeling a bit hesitant before giving in and hooking your arm around his.  He grinned happily down at you, amazed that you were willingly touching him and looking like he was walking on clouds as you started out of the restaurant.  You felt a bit gawky as you passed by certain tables, seeing women call out Sanji's name like preteens squealing over their favorite boy band.  The cook would stop each time and compliment these women, noting they changed their hair or were exceptionally beautiful today, even asking about their day and if they needed anything.  He seemed really genuine.  It was so strange to see a guy so devoted to...well, to women.  He must have come right out of someone's fan fiction.  
  
You were thankful when the both of you made it to the elevator, glad you didn't have to feel the jealous glares of each woman Sanji stopped to talk to.  But this feeling soon passed as the elevator doors closed and you were left alone with the cook.   
  
Everything felt very awkward now.  Sanji didn't say anything, so you didn't say anything and vice versa.  You both just stood silently while the elevator proceeded downwards while trying to avoid staring at one another.  You had expected the cook to be complimenting you or try to converse, but it seemed he knew how weird you felt about getting a ride from a total stranger and thought it best to leave you alone.  
  
Honestly, you should just call a cab.  It was stupid to agree to riding with this man, what if he was some kind of serial killer?!  What if it'd been his whole plan to trick you into a false sense of security before he offed you and threw your body in the river?!  
  
No, that's stupid.  You could tell Sanji would never do that.  He practically wore his emotions on his sleeve so you could tell if he was really dangerous...right?  
  
You jerked slightly when the elevator dinged, pulling you out of your thoughts as the doors opened.  Sanji smiled and took the lead, hands in his pockets and shoulder's relaxed.  Following after him, you tried to say multiple times not for him to worry about you and that you would go catch a cab or the next bus, heck, even walk!  But each time it seemed like your voice got caught in your throat and you couldn't force out any noise.  You did this over and over until you found yourself already sitting in his car as he started the engine.  
  
Sanji grinned at you after he checked his mirror, looking carefree and relaxed which only served to make you feel even more awkward.  He backed out of his parking spot and changed gears on the stick shift before leaving the parking garage, adjusting his seat a little and leaning back.  
  
You twiddled your fingers a bit, wondering if you should be the one to give directions or just pull out your phone to use the maps function so you wouldn't have to talk.  You could practically feel the beads of nervous sweat form on your back when Sanji suddenly turned to you and held up a cigarette pack.  
  
"Do you mind?"  
  
"Ah!  Oh, no!  Go ahead!"  You forced out a grin, hoping it didn't look too robotic as he pulled a cigarette out with his mouth.  He waited until he came to the first light before lighting it with a match then opened the window to blow out smoke.  
  
"So, which direction am I going?"  
  
You shifted in your seat, stiffly looking out the window as you tried to think of the best way home.  "Um, j-just take the highway south and get off at exit 115."  
  
He nodded and proceeded down the street, one hand on the wheel while he took another drag.  You took the time to try and calm yourself by looking around the car, noting it was very clean and well taken care of.  It might have been new for all you knew, but you felt like it would smell more like new car then used matches and old smoke.  You were sure if you opened some of the compartments that the items inside would be well organized and tidy; he probably even had an envelope with his registration and everything for whenever he was pulled over.  Though, you doubted he would ever go over the speed limit since he seemed to be driving responsibly.  
  
A rumble of thunder sounded above you as you both stopped at the light before the on-ramp, drops of water hitting the windshield sporadically before coming down in full force.  Sanji leaned forward and turned on his windshield wipers before rolling up his window a bit more.  
  
"Well, this stinks."  
  
You turned to him, distressed that he knew how out of place you felt.  "S-Sorry?"  
  
He looked at you, pout on his lips as he pointed at the windshield.  "The rain.  I thought for sure it'd go around us."  
  
"Oh, yeah..."  You looked out your window again, trying hard not to make a face since you knew he'd probably see it in the reflection.  Damn, you sucked at small talk, why couldn't you just be normal?!!  "I kind of like the rain...it's soothing."  
  
Sanji chuckled, "That's a good thing.  You look pretty tense."  
  
You blushed, groaning and resting your head in your hands.  "I'm sorry.  This is just-"  
  
"-Weird."  He didn't seem the least bit put out, just happy that you were talking to him.  
  
"I don't normally get into cars with strangers, really."  You couldn't stress this enough, but Sanji just laughed.  
  
"It's okay," He actually seemed to be enjoying all this which in turn made you feel a bit more at ease.  You even slouched a little in your seat as he pulled onto the highway.  
  
You rubbed your arms then saw Sanji glance at you sideways.  "Cold?"  
  
"N-No, I'm fine."  
  
The blonde reached forward and turned on the heat before winking at you.  "Don't hesitate to ask anything, I won't bite."  
  
You smiled, feeling like he was trying to tell you some bad joke and knew he was failing miserably.  "Anything?"  
  
"Anything."  He chuckled, his whole aura feeling like a warm sun.   
  
Humming in thought, you decided that the only way you were going to loosen up was to just pretend this was a middle school party and that a game of twenty questions was in order.  "What's your...favorite food?"  
  
He raised an eyebrow at you, wondering why you were asking such a thing and you shrugged.  "You said anything."  
  
"...Spicy seafood pasta."  
  
"Oh, sounds fun."  You wondered what that tasted like.  
  
"I'll make it for you sometime," Sanji chuckled as he passed a few cars.   
  
"I'm holding you to that."  
  
Then the air felt normal, you felt normal.  Everything was good.  In fact, the two of you asked each other questions all the way back home, finding out each other's favorite color, day of the week, season, whatever you could think of.  You would laugh at one another's answers or agree whole-heartedly on certain things.  It was nice and strange at how much you two had in common but were still so different.  Sanji seemed much more outgoing then you, probably having a ton of friends and contacts in his phone while you only had a handful of people you barely texted.  There were even a few times where he seemed a lot like Zoro, his blunt attitude, the things they disliked and enjoyed.  
  
You felt like they would get along very well.    
  
Thinking this as Sanji pulled into the parking lot, you laughed when he asked you the next question.  "King for a day?  Oh, I'd totally outlaw socks with sandals."  
  
Sanji snorted, "That's it?  No ending world hunger or achieving peace?"  
  
"What makes you think socks with sandals isn't the cause of all that?"  
  
He laughed, pulling into a parking spot.  "I can't really disprove that."  
  
You smiled knowingly, "Of course.  No one can, which means it must be true."  
  
He pulled out another cigarette while you unbuckled yourself.  You looked up at your door on the third floor and wondered if Zoro was there, waiting or possibly upset with you.  What if he didn't want to look at you?  What if he felt you had pulled a dirty trick by thinking of perverted things when he was already so on edge?  What if he...he **hated**  you?  Hesitant, you weren't sure you wanted to get out of the car and Sanji seemed to notice.  
  
"Are you okay?"  He frowned, looking concerned as he turned to see what you were staring at then back at you.  His eyes turned hard and body tense, "If you don't want to go up there-"  
  
You turned to him, cutting him off with another question before he could assume the worst.  "If you could have any superpower in the world, what would it be?"  
  
The blonde looked startled, "_______, if you need to talk-"  
  
You smiled and held up a finger.  "C'mon, just one more question before I go inside."  
  
Sanji stared, cigarette hanging from his lips as he tried to figure out your motive.  But you kept smiling at him, waiting for his answer and finally received it as his shoulders slumped.  
  
"I don't know, I guess I'd like to conceal myself and sneak into places."  
  
You tilted your head, curious.  "Why?"  
  
He looked thoughtful then a grin slowly formed on his lips, nostrils flaring a little as hearts practically radiated off him.  "Oh~!  Well!!  I guess I would s-s-spy on-"  
  
Blood gushed from his nose, making him jump forward and try to cover it up while his face turned a bright red.  You watched with wide eyes as the male quickly tried to clean it up, immediately guessing what he was going to say.  
  
"Spy on...girls?"  
  
He laughed nervously and held up his hands, "N-No!!  I mean!!  I just...w-what else would it be used for?!"  
  
You stared, trying to picture Sanji blending in with his surroundings as he snuck into a girl's bedroom or bathroom to peek on them.  It was a pretty perverted motive to have for a super power and it didn't seem to...to fit Sanji at all.  This was a man who stopped by every table who called his name, complimented every woman who spoke to him with a honest smile and true love for them in his heart.  
  
Someone who acted like that, who _respected_  women, would never go so far to peek on them in private.  It wasn't right at all and you felt Sanji wasn't being truthful with you.  You tilted your head and stared, watching him stop laughing and freeze under your gaze.  He looked like he was waiting for you to yell at him and call him a huge pervert, maybe hit him, but you didn't.  
  
Instead, words seem to tumble out of your mouth without you meaning them to, startling you both.  
  
"Sanji, do you really want to spy on girls or... do you just wish you were  _invisible_?"  
  
You knew as soon as you said it that there was no way of taking it back.  You could only stare horrified as his eyes widened and his unlit cigarette fell into his lap.  He looked shocked, even hurt and you quickly felt like the worst person in the entire universe.  
  
"I'm sorry!  Shit, I'm so sorry!!"  You were out of the car in an instant, fumbling with the latch as you pushed the door open and stumbling out.  You quickly slammed the door behind you and didn't even try to look back at him as you ran towards the stairs and up to the third floor.  You didn't remember running into your apartment or locking the door behind you, only dwell on the horrible thing you just said to Sanji without even thinking about it.  
  
Fuck, you sucked so hard at small talk.


	25. Part 1 of 2

The apartment was uncharacteristically spooky.    
  
All the lights were off and gave no indication to anyone being home, no TV broke through the silence with background noise, just nothing.  The rain was all that seemed to fill the home, storm growing stronger and stronger by the minute as water and wind battered against the windows.  Even the atmosphere felt...off, and that did not sit well with you at all.  
  


"Zoro?"  You fidgeted a bit by the front door, looking around the apartment for any sign of life; but it all felt so empty.

Shit, was he even here?

"Zoro??"  You called out again and stepped forward, hoping he would answer you as you became more aware of your cold, damp clothes.

You grew alarmed when no one responded, fearful that Zoro had really just up and left.  In any other circumstances, you would assume he was just out for a run or doing some weird werewolf stuff that you didn't know about; but with the bond pretty much turned off, you couldn't be sure.  It worried the shit out of you, not knowing what was happening with your boyfriend.  You didn't know if he was upset, angry, or just trying to rest so he wouldn't have to deal with you.  

Damn it, who knew you would grow so dependent on the bond?  You'd been reluctant with it at first, annoyed that Zoro could feel everything you felt without meaning to.  All your emotions, wants and needs, all felt by your sexy boyfriend who was probably frustrated with you and your ~~fun~~ gross fantasies.  

No one had access to you in such a way before and now that you couldn't feel the wolf waiting for you on the other side of the bond, you felt vulnerable and lonely.  It hurt, not being connected to him.  You missed his little doses of emotion sent to you, the brushes of affection, poking and prodding of curiosity, and just the burst of love that always made you incredibly happy.

You tugged on the hem of your wet shirt, wringing it in your hands as you stepped past the couch and towards the hallway.  Your bedroom door was shut and you wondered if Zoro was in there.  Was he waiting for you?  Was he asleep?  Or was he just ignoring you?

Lightning flashed outside, lighting up most of the apartment as the windows rattled against the howling winds.  You stopped when you noticed something odd in the kitchen and peered inside, trying to make sense of what you were even looking at.  Your eyes took a bit to adjust to the darkness, but once you could see a distinct shape with broken pieces did you start to grow anxious.

It was the kitchen table.  

Two of the legs looked like they'd been snapped off, buckling under such a strong force that they probably broke as easily as a pretzel stick.  Near the edge of the wooden surface were claw marks, indents of sharp nails that had dug so hard into the wood that holes had nearly formed all the way through.  Without the support of it's two legs, the table laid on it's side while the chairs around it were either pushed away, or knocked over.  

It was like you'd stumbled upon some crime scene, no lights on with a storm raging outside, no noises or signs of life while the whole mood of the place felt off.  Even the thunder and lightning flashed dramatically across the window and lit up the room again.  You were positive that if you stepped into the kitchen that you'd be instantly murdered by some psycho...

  
With that image in mind, you quickly walked past the kitchen without a word, trying hard not to picture an axe murderer just waiting for you with his weapon raised.  He probably had a Jason mask and was dripping in blood and rain.  Water would probably gurgle out through his mouth piece and ruin your perfectly clean floor before cutting off your head for being a girl, alone in her apartment with no one to save her because this was feeling more and more like a horror movie.

Nope, _nope_ , _**nope**_.

Fuck that noise.  If someone was going to kill you, you were going down fighting.  Maybe you'd even win since Zoro's been training you to defend yourself.  With that burst of confidence you quickly peered into the kitchen, smirking in triumph when you didn't see anyone standing in the corner with a weapon in hand.

You jerked suddenly at the sound of a door opening and looked down the hall, a silhouette of a man stepping out and into the hall.  At first you were scared, mind immediately going to back to horror movie murderer as you stared at the tall figure that stood rigid at the other end.  You tried to adjust your eyes once more, noting his features were completely shadowed in the dark and the only source of movement coming seemed to be him breathing slowly.  He rolled his broad shoulders and you instantly recognized him, having daydreamed about those big, sexy muscles so often.

  
"Zoro!"  

The man tensed, gaze slowly looking up to bore right into you.  It made you feel apprehensive, the way his eye seemed to flash in the darkness, but it didn't stop you from moving towards him.  You ignored the alarm bells ringing in your head as you made your way down the hall, eager to just take hold of his hand with entwining fingers before you squeezed it tight.  


He didn't make a move as you stepped in front of him, or even when you reached forward to touch his arm.  The wolf just...stared, as if he were waiting for something to happen.  He had changed out of his workout clothes from earlier and was wearing a green button up shirt and jeans, and because it was Zoro, the shirt laid open with his bare chest in view.  Even with the situation as serious as it was, you still had to resist the urge to just...touch him.  Damn it, you wanted to hug and nuzzle into him, to feel safe in his arms and to kiss him all over so you could forget about Crocodile, forget about hurting Sanji, and forget that your lives were in danger.  
  
You looked at his face, nerves on edge as you tried to think of a proper way to apologize.  "Zoro, are...are you okay? I didn't mean to-"  
  
You stopped when his hand moved, his claws looking a bit sharper then normal as they touched your face.  You waited for them to prick your skin, or to grab your chin so you could stare into an angry gaze before he told you he was leaving and never coming back.  But you didn't feel any pain, just a soft caress of Zoro's digits brush over your cheekbone.  Even when his claws did graze you, he was still so gentle and careful not to hurt you in any way.  
  
Passion burned in your chest as he continued to stroke your face, feeling as if you were in a trance with your eyes half lidded and cheeks grow flushed.  You focused on his touch and how warm it felt against your skin as he lazily dragged his fingers down to your jaw, mouth parting slightly as your breath quickened.  You raised your chin like a cat to give him more access to your neck and reached forward to grip his waist, clutching onto him for dear life as his thumb rubbed circles around your jugular then down to your collar bone.  You focused solely on his palm as it moved under your shirt collar to massage your shoulder, your muscles going lax and your body leaning close to his.  You could practically feel your frazzled worry slip away and ignore the little voice in the back of your head that was telling you to step away and talk.    
  
The two of you can talk later.  Everything could wait when he was pressing so close to you, his other hand now resting on your hip, thumb hooking into the waist of your jeans and tugging at them.  Zoro leaned forward and nestled his nose in your hair, inhaling your scent and pulling you even closer.  His bare chest felt like fire against your skin and you hastily wrapped your arms around his waist, wanting to feel more of this burning heat that seemed to light your body on fire.    
  
Zoro seemed to like this idea, returning the gesture just as eagerly while his hands traveled up and down your back before one settled between your shoulder blades and the other just above your butt.  He inhaled again, fingers quickly moving to slip under your shirt so he could feel more of your writhing, needy body.  
  
" _Zoro~_ "  You cooed, nuzzling into him and just happy he was here now to love you like no one else would.  
  
He growled back softly in response, chest rumbling against your cheek and making you tingle all over.  No one would ever come close to making you melt with such a noise; damn it, you would give anything to hear it over and over again.  
  
"You smell awful."  
  
 _ **What?**_  
  
You looked up startled, not sure if you heard the male right.  "I what-?!!"  
  
He shoved you hard against the wall before you could finish, the hanging pictures rattling on their hooks and even knocking one onto the ground with a shatter.  Zoro's fingers started to dig into your hips while he held you up off the ground, your legs starting to flail as you tried to find something solid to stand on.  Alarm bells rang loudly in your head again as he pinned you, face shoved between your neck and collar as his breathing became erratic and heavy.  His breath fanned over your skin like fire, spreading across your body and sending shivers down your spine as his fangs grazed over your neck.  You swallowed hard when he growled again, his chest rising and falling with bundled energy that you were sure he was ready to snap.  
  
Hesitant, you placed your hands on his shoulders, unsure why he was suddenly so rough.  Zoro had been so gentle and cuddly just a second ago, but now he was pinning you to a wall and saying you smelled bad.  Now, you may not have had many long-term relationships, but you had a pretty good idea as to what was romantic and what wasn't.  It also seemed like all of this was one big **red flag** , like you'd felt this way somewhere and at sometime before...  
  
"Zoro, put me down."  
  
The wolf tensed and you wondered if you'd said the wrong thing, unsettled that he was acting so different from usual.  He pressed his nose against your neck and inhaled, arms snaking around your body as he pressed you hard into the wall.    
  
"No...not until it's gone."  He kissed your collarbone while his hands started to move, brushing over your back, sides, hips, stomach, chest, everywhere they could reach.  His fingers dragged and groped as his hands shifted, switching from hard to soft at a moment's notice.  One second he would grip one of your waist and rub it roughly like he was trying to wash something away, then he would move on to petting your stomach; being gentle and sweet while pushing up your shirt and drawing circles on your naval in the barest of touches.  
  
You weren't sure what to feel, you would melt and buck as he rubbed his palms feverishly across your body, but then the next you felt like a trapped animal about to be eaten alive.  It made everything much more alarming as he did this and you tried hard to focus on a memory of this similar feeling of fear and vulnerability.  
  
During all this, Zoro's face remained eerily calm, fixated on getting rid of this 'smell' that bothered him so much.  He would even mutter under his breath when he would go back to kissing you neck and jaw, grumbling about how it didn't belong there then proceed to bury his face in a spot before moving onto the next.  You tried to gain his attention, ignoring the building pleasure coiling in your abdomen as he nipped lightly at your chin.  
  
"Zoro, you need to **put me down**."  
  
He tensed again and stopped moving his hands, keeping them in place on your back and hip tightly as he gazed up at you.    
  
Your heart stopped at what you saw, expecting to see his ruby red eye, bright and warm like it had always been; but was greeted by a slither of a pupil  so thin and long that it looked like it would disappear at any moment.  The rest of his single orb was white and blank, making it all the more frightening as you stared into it, reminding you of-  
  
  


 

  
_You moved towards the large, bipedal wolf and got close enough to be able to touch him.  He glared at you with an angry snarl and you glared right back at him, not looking away like you had expected him to.  He seemed confused, his white eye boring into you as you_ _took a deep breath and reached up, standing on the tips of your toes to touch Zoro's cheek with shaky hands._   


 

_Cold air swirled around your lips in relief when he didn't snap at you.  You were startled to hear him whine as you continued to stroke his face, the sound so pitiful that you were surprised he could make such a noise in such an imposing form.  You stared in shock when he tried to pull away from your hand but couldn't because of your order to stay._

 

_Snow continued to fall all around you, the forest blanketed in white with splatters of Zoro's blood painting it's landscape.  He was so scared, he was just protecting himself.  His emotions had somehow broken his iron will and now he was some kind of...of..._

 

_**Beserker.**_  

Crocodile's title for Zoro.  

Then you suddenly understood it all.  Thinking back to the time he turned into that giant wolf, when he'd come back to your door with death at his heels as a dog, how he seemed so out of it right this moment and all because you pushed him too far.

You were familiar with the term.  History was littered with warrior titles and types and though a berserker was rare, they still existed and proved capable to earn many mentions in tales of heroes and wars.  You didn't know much about them but you were definitely going to remedy that in the future.  What confused you though was that you were sure these kind of people only went into this weird state when they were angry or on the verge of death.

From the way Zoro was itching to touch you everywhere he could get his greedy hands on, you were sure he wasn't angry.  And he was definitely not dying.

"Zoro, sweetie."  You touched his face with your hands, trying to calm him down so you could see about him letting you go.  He was still heaving and his muscles looked so rigid that you were sure he was more on edge then you were.  You weren't sure you wanted to be within arms reach if he were to suddenly lose it.  "How about we-"

He moved his head slightly to nibble on one of your fingers, a rush of pleasure swelling inside your chest and bursting across your body.  You blushed darkly and took a deep breath, "H-How about we go sit down?"

The wolf looked hesitant but was suddenly sweeping you off into the bedroom before you could think to ask again, your head spinning at the abrupt move from hallway to bedroom.  The room was still as messy as you left it, clothes over in the corner by the mirror, bed spread and sheets falling off to the side, random knick knacks sitting on your dresser and nightstand.  One poster was still hanging off the wall, too lazy to go fix it when you could be spending time sleeping or surfing the web.  It was a safe and comforting kind of environment, but you meant for the both of you to go to the living room and talk, away from a bed that could be used for many other things then to talk.

Zoro was still holding you off the ground and making it easier to drag you around without a fight.  He kicked a pillow away from a spot on the mattress and promptly sat down then placed you comfortably in his lap, cradling you close while your back pressed tightly against his chest.  You could feel his face go back to burying itself in your neck, kissing and nuzzling as he focused on his favorite spot of the day.

"T-This isn't what I meant Zoro,"  You tried to wiggle free but he kept his grip firm, giving you a warning growl before placing rough lips on a soft spot just below your ear.  He was being all cuddly again and it only made it harder to think.  You got him to calm down as a blood-thirsty monster, surely you could get him to stop being horny.

Okay, deep breath.   **Think.**   Last time you just told...er, ordered, him to relax.  You didn't think it would work so well this time though, even when Zoro obeyed an order he'd twist it around to benefit him...like right now, sitting in his lap while his hand trailed over your hip and down your inner thigh.  Your mind seemed to stop at this moment, watching his hand get closer with steady intent that made you reach out to grip his knees as you braced for his touch.  Your lower body bucked as soon as his fingers pressed against your groin, your jeans supplying little to no protection against the insistent digits as they stroked you slowly.

Not even sober Zoro got this far in touching you.  Beserker Zoro was definitely bolder then you were used to.  Crap, what were you trying to do again?  You wanted to get free right?  Yeah, you were going to get out of his lap and get him to calm down.  You gasped loudly when the male suddenly dragged his tongue across your neck, his fingers pressing more urgently into your sex and making your back arch forward.  Your head swung back to lean into his shoulder, lungs fighting for air as you felt his thumb brush over a sweet spot that made electricity shoot across your body.  

He paused, taking note of your reaction before doing it again.  Your legs tried to close but he refused to move his hand, your body becoming stiff as he pressed his fingers harder.  The wolf rumbled and continued to do this for a while, bringing you close to the edge over and over and stopping before you could even enjoy the moment.  When he finally seemed bored of this, he gave your groin one last long stroke, making your hips jerk and your vision turn white for just a second.  You quickly went limp after this small moment of ecstasy, eye twitching in annoyance as you tried to catch your breath.  Your gaze flickered to look at Zoro, his gaze still calm and unperturbed as he moved his hands to play with other parts of your body.

Damn it, he was making you into a mess.  Did you really want to get free at this point?  This all felt way too good and you both had planned on doing this anyways.  

You mewled when Zoro pushed a palm up your shirt, spanning his fingers out as he passed your naval and abs before pushing his hand under your bra to grope your breast.  His hand felt large against you, cupping your chest with ease before rubbing his fingers over your nipple very slowly.  You watched his face as he played with your breast, unable to keep from arching right into his palm so he could keep going.  You waited for him to smirk or look satisfied but he still looked blank, as if he was just going through the motions or he was bored...

It felt hollow and fake and you knew it would be meaningless to continue if the real Zoro wasn't here to enjoy it.  Besides, it was still _way_ too unnerving to not feel Zoro's emotions during all this, you wished he would just open up and let you back in.  

Now both his hands were groping and pinching your breasts, making you momentarily lose your train of thought until he went about trying to get your shirt off.  You took this moment to catch your breath and brainstorm, wondering how you were going to get your Zoro back before you caved in completely.  Your orders didn't work out that well and you couldn't get to him through the bond.  

Wait...What if he wasn't blocking you out on purpose?

What if when he was in this state then he couldn't control his part of the bond?  That could be it...and if it wasn't then you didn't really know what else to do.  It didn't hurt to at least try, even if you had no idea what to do.  

Acting quickly, you decided the best way to try this was to be facing him and looking into his eye.  Staring him down might get him to stop all these sexual advances until you could get him to come back.  So you grabbed his wrists as soon as he got your shirt off, watching his fingers twitch in annoyance but didn't try to pull his hands away.  Glad he was at least compliant, you managed to turn in his lap, waiting for him to make you turn back around but was relieved to find he wasn't fighting you.

You gave him a smile, wanting him as relaxed as possible as you placed his hands on your hips and squeezed them, needing him to understand he wasn't allowed to use them.  His shoulders twitched at this but he didn't make any attempts to move them and you gave him another smile, bigger then the last.  

Reaching forward, you took his face in your hands and made him look at you right in the eye.  "Zoro, don't move, okay?"

He didn't respond but you had a feeling he would follow this order, probably eager to see if you would do something pleasurable to him.  You still waited to see if he would make a move and when he didn't did you start to relax.  

Okay.  How to access the bond...?  Usually you just did it, but when you thought about it, it seemed a bit more complicated then that.  You had trouble trying to access it now that you were thinking about it, like you were being put on the spot and everyone was waiting for you to fail.  Did you just think about it?  Or was it more of an instinctual thing?  Maybe you should visualize where the bond would be if it had a physical shape, like an organ that was apart of the body.  It was linked with emotions so maybe it was around the heart area?

You placed a hand over the left side of Zoro's chest, watching him take a deep breath while he stared right into you.  You had to pause a moment, afraid he would suddenly snatch you up and go back to molesting you all over and you just weren't sure you could handle that.  You still felt like a bundle of nerves that needed to be touched and petted and as soon as he went back to doing that then you knew you wouldn't stop.  You could feel Zoro's quickened heartbeat beneath your open palm, not even twitching when you caressed his skin in affection.

Closing your eyes, you thought about a wall blocking your way, too tall to climb over and too thick to slam through.  You tried to visualize that it had a door or you had a sledgehammer that you could use to break through but nothing seemed to come of it.

Frustrated, you leaned back a little and stared at your hand and Zoro's chest, feeling like a complete idiot for thinking that would work.  The bond wasn't something you could just see and whatever made you think you could-

Eyes wide you looked down at the spyglass hanging around your neck.

"Lightbulb."  

You grabbed it and placed it in front of your eye and turned it three times, waiting with bated breath as you stared at Zoro's chest for some kind of magical...thing.  Hey, Zoro said bonds were the only magic wolves had, so why wouldn't you be able to see it??

And see it you did.  

You think.

Instead of seeing a glowing orb or some kind of magical tattoo like you'd been expecting, you saw what looked like a ball of tangled, red string.  Well, glowing red string, but red string nonetheless.  It looked like a ball of yarn gone wrong, many knots and loops tied tightly together while some of the strings spanned out on different ends and looked to be buried into different parts of Zoro's chest.  You tried to follow where some of them led, a bit of red thread shining a bit under his skin in his shoulders and stomach like they were veins.  

It was all really....odd.

You reached out and was surprised to find you could touch it, feeling threads brush against your skin like silk while also causing Zoro to stiffen and gasp.  Maybe now that you could see it then you could touch it?  This all seemed too weird and you weren't really sure what to make with the tangled mess.  That was when you noticed one of the threads hanging off the ball wasn't going into Zoro's chest, but leading towards your own.

Looking down in morbid fascination, you saw the thread slowly turn thicker and more ribbon like, shining and glossy with red magic until it reached the space over your heart.  You had expected to see a clutter of tied ribbon like Zoro's over your chest but was surprised to find the exact opposite.  Instead of a tangled mess it seemed like the ribbon was wrapped neat and smooth over your chest, looking like a patch of brand new bandaging whose ends were buried into your skin.  You looked over your form, mesmerized as the thick ribbons seem to glow and pop up over different parts of your body like Zoro's; one spot just around your hips seemed to have the most glowing beneath your skin, as if this is where you were most sensitive to touch.

Okay, this wasn't odd, it was fucking cool.  Why didn't you think to look at your bond before with this thing!?

A needy whine came from the male in front of you, startling you out of your awe and making you remember you had a job to do.  Unfortunately, you didn't really know where to go from here...

You gazed back at Zoro's tangled thread and looked thoughtful, wondering if it was supposed to be smooth like yours.  With a hesitant reach forward, you took one of the strings and tried to untie it from the others, careful not to break it in fear of harming him.  The wolf's body seemed to twitch each time you handled the strand awkwardly, as if you were playing with a puppet that didn't quite work properly.  You briefly wondered if it was even okay to touch all this but was happy to see that once you finally fixed it did the thread lay flat against his chest like yours.  

Zoro seemed to relax a bit more after this happened, his hands now looser on your hips while his shoulders seemed to slouch.  You took this as a good sign and stared at the rest of the tangles waiting for you to fix them.  You summoned up all your department store training, remembering all those times you spent fixing tiny chain necklaces in the jewelry department and started to work.

You got this.

 

~

 

Okay, you don't got this.

 

~~

 

No.  Wait, false alarm, you're amazing!

 

~

 

You stared at Zoro, annoyed that instead of being up and thanking you with kisses and words of the deepest devotion, he was snoring.  Loud too, enough to where you wanted to cover his face with a pillow!!

No, you didn't want to do that, you were just tired and...wound up.  

Your legs rubbed together, dissatisfied when it did nothing to alleviate the ache between your legs.  No matter, you were sure you could fix it yourself in a bit.  Right now you had more work to do and if this was anything like when Zoro had changed back into a human at the cabin, he'd be out for a long while.  Making sure you spent this free time well, you decided to grab a few things to make yourself comfortable for a few hours.  You were going into research mode, something you did for reports for school that required a lot of time and effort.  You made your usual nest of pillows and blankets on the bed and changed into something more comfortable for long periods of sitting in bed.  

Like one of Zoro's shirts~.

You grabbed one of the short sleeved tees, feeling a bit goofy as you put it on and smelled the collar.  You sighed happily as the wolf's scent settled over you before tugging off your pants and kicking them away, the hem of Zoro's shirt reaching just past your upper thighs.  You even took off your bra, because why not?

With that little perverted deed done, you grabbed your laptop and settled into your tiny fort of comfort and started your investigation.

First, the College Professor's sworn enemy, wikipedia.  

 

**Berserkers**  (or  **berserks** ) were Norse Warriors who are primarily reported in the Old Norse Literature to have fought in a nearly uncontrollable, trance-like fury, a characteristic which later gave rise to the English word  _berserk_. Berserkers are attested to in numerous Old Norse sources.

The  _Úlfhéðnar_ , another term associated with berserkers, mentioned in the  _Vatnsdœla saga_ ,  _Hrafnsmál_  and the  _Völsunga saga,_  were said to wear the pelt of a wolf when they entered battle.  Úlfhéðnar are sometimes described as Odin's special warriors:  "[Odin's] men went without their mailcoats and were mad as hounds or wolves, bit their shields...they slew men, but neither fire nor iron had effect upon them. his is called 'going berserk'."  
  
  


You stared at this explanation with a frown (and not just because you didn't understand some of the words).  You knew it was just a small tidbit slapped onto a questionable website, but it still seemed weird that these warriors were real, even though their primary information came from poems and stories passed down from one generation to the next.  The term wasn't used much anymore outside of fantasy novels and games, so it felt off putting to have one laying right next to you.

Then again, you got used to Zoro being a werewolf, why would him being some weird kind of warrior be any different?  
 __

  
 _To "go berserk" was to "hamask", which translates as "change form", in this case, as with the sense "enter a state of wild fury". One who could transform as a berserker was typically thought of as "hamrammr" or "shapestrong"._

 

It was kind of odd how much this form of fighting seemed to align well with werewolf lore.  Wolf pelts, strong emotions of fury and fighting prowess, shapeshifting.  These warriors were even used as shock troops, the first of the army to head to war to destroy as much of the enemy they could, something that would be plausible to use if one had werewolves in their army.  It made you wonder if there were a lot of wolves that were berserkers.  

Or was Zoro one of the few?

This theory seemed more plausible the more sites you browsed and the more history you read on the term.  Most berserkers seemed to have a handful of psychological and medical issues, something you were sure would not fly in a normal werewolf pack.  You didn't know any and couldn't really confirm, but from the amount of times Mihawk warned you about Zoro's mental condition, you were sure that he was a lone wolf for more then just him being a little loopy.  All the sources seemed to go on and on about how such things were also linked to post-traumatic stress disorder and fight-or-fight response (something Zoro seemed more prone to do the more you got to know him).  

The only little bit of joy you got out from learning all this was a side note about possible ways someone fueled berserker rage, one of them stating that a warrior must consume large amounts of alcohol in order to access their anger.

You closed your laptop and stared out your bedroom window, rain pouring down the window panes and thunder still rumbling just outside.  You just watched as a million thoughts raced around in your head, trying to make sense of all this information.  

Crocodile obviously knew what Zoro was.  He kept bringing it up whenever he had the chance to corner you, almost desperate to find the wolf so he could....what?  Kill him?  No, he sounded like he needed Zoro.  But why?  And why did he send Mihawk after you two if he wanted to use Zoro for something else?  Just what was this guy's plan??

Something brushed your hair and you turned to see a groggy looking Zoro staring at you, fingers playing with the strands as he seemed dazed and confused.  You noted his eye was ruby red once more and looked like a regular pupil instead of the creepy slither he'd had just a few hours before.  He looked out the window then at your alarm clock, checking the green numbers and seeing it was only around four o' clock in the afternoon.

He scowled and looked back at you, face twisted up as if he were trying to remember something important.  You waited, wondering what he was going to say about you two almost having sex while he was hopped up on warrior-fury, or even if he was really back to normal.  This really made you worry, hoping you hadn't messed something up during the bond-untangling and turned him into a completely different person.  That wouldn't happen, right?  It's not like that bit of magic could mess someone up that much.  Ugh, these thoughts did nothing to relieve you of your uneasiness. 

But what he said was so very _Zoro_ , that you had no reason to fear that you mishandled the situation.

"I think I broke the kitchen table..."

You smiled and quickly moved in to hug him, running your fingers through his wild hair and kissing his face all over.  A table can be fixed, your Zoro was priceless.


	26. Part 2 of 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: This is a lemon. If you don't like them then don't look at them, they're very self-conscious.
> 
> You do not have to read this to continue with the story.

  
  
"You shouldn't wear people's clothes without permission."  Zoro said, entirely amused that you were dressed in one of his shirts and even pressing the fabric snuggly against the curves of your body so he could get a better look at you.  You'd just finished showering him with affectionate kisses and were now basking in all that was Zoro; fingers combing through short, wild green hair, legs tangling and untangling just so you could rub them against his.  You even pressed you nose into his neck, mimicking his earlier actions and inhaling his scent before you left a trail of bites and kisses from the space below his jaw and all the way to his chest.  This earned you a pleased rumble, feeling his hands scrunch up the t-shirt around your hips and making the bottom hem rise just so he could see more of your inner thighs.  
  
Grinning, you went back up and brushed your lips over his jaw, a touch of lust swelling from his end of the bond.  It was small and he was definitely holding back, but you didn't care; just delighted you could feel his emotions entwine with yours like two hands coming together.  
  
"Well, you could always wear some of my things," You snickered.  "I bet you'd look good in a skirt."  
  
He hummed and tugged your shirt off to the side, making the collar hang off one shoulder so he could knead his fingers into your bare skin.  "I'm sure everything you have looks better on me."  
  
You laughed, your hands traveling down his chest and towards the waistband of his jeans, jerking at them eagerly as you bathed in Zoro's flurry of emotions; his dazed curiosity as he wondered why he was in bed, his amusement at you being on top of him, and his growing pleasure in how eager you were to touch his body.  You wanted it all and then some, the bond making the touches and pets you both gave one another even more lush and erotic.  
  
Just when you were about to unbutton his jeans did Zoro grab your hands, effectively stopping you from stripping him down to continue this little game.  "You seem eager."  
  
You blushed, suddenly self-conscious at your forwardness and wondering if Zoro thought less of you for it.  The wolf frowned and brought your hands to his lips, kissing each finger gently while sending a wave of love and appreciation through your bond.  You closed your eyes, focusing more on the rush of emotions that swept through you like an ocean tide that washed gently against the sand.    
  
Resting your chin on his chest, you stared up at him as he continued to hold your hands, thumbs pushing and rubbing your palms before he went about playing with your fingers.  You took this quiet moment to think, wondering if Zoro knew how crazy turned-on he'd made you when he was in his berserker state; from his insistent hands that had traveled all over your body to his needy kisses that left their mark of little red spots all up and down your neck.  
  
 "Zoro...how much do you remember from today?"  
  
He stopped massaging your hands to think, mentally tracing his steps throughout the day from where you both had started your morning workout and up to where you teased and left him alone to deal with the ache in his jeans.    
  
Then he frowned, as if he were missing something and was trying to figure out what.  "I...remember you leaving before I took a shower..."  
  
The wolf looked troubled then annoyed.  "I already told you I broke the table..."  
  
His grip loosened on your hands, allowing you to pull them away so you could sit up on your elbows to get a better look at his face.  You watched his mouth form a snarl, upper lip twitching and flashing his canines as he had trouble figuring out where all that time between then and now went.  
  
You could feel him become upset, growing frustrated that he seemed to have lost hours of his day and had no way of getting them back.  You quickly took action, moving up his body to give his cheek an affectionate snuggle with your nose before you sat up.  You didn't want him to worry about it, just to relax and enjoy your time together and hopefully, _maybe_ , **_right now_** , you both will have sex.  He watched as you placed your legs on either side of his waist, your ass brushing over his groin and taking note that he was still pretty hard despite his dilemma.  He frowned at you until you placed your hands on his chest, fingers trailing over his long scar before one settled on groping the spot where his heart would be, rubbing and tracing it just as you had done when you were untangling his frazzled end of the bond.  
  
"Do you remember this?"  You grinned, slowly moving your hips to rub against the bulge in his jeans while you felt his heart pound rapidly beneath your palm.  
  
Zoro's good eye flashed as he sat up on his arms to watch you more closely, his chest rising and falling quickly while you continued to grind into him with in a slow rhythm.  He thought that perhaps it really wasn't something to worry about, not when you were sitting on top of him and practically begging to be lavished with love and attention.  His frown even turned into a small grin, moving one of his hands to grope the curve of your hip before sliding down to the expanse of bare skin on your legs.  
  
You smiled back, leaning in to kiss his lips and hoping to make them swollen and calling your name by the end of the day.  You could tell he was becoming distracted again, forgetting that he couldn't recall half his day or how he even ended up sleeping in bed, just satisfied that you were here with him now.  But this feeling was short lived as his hand stilled on your left leg, looking at it closely as you moved in for another kiss.  The wolf abruptly sat up, knocking you out of his lap and back onto the mattress before he grabbed your ankle.  This made it impossible to sit back up while he forced you to stretch out, glaring at the limb with growing fury.  
  
He looked at you, pointing to the angry splotches that circled around your ankle and all the with up to your upper thigh.  They were an ugly purple, scattered all over your skin like animal spots while also looking like someone had gripped a chain tightly around your entire leg until it bruised.  " _ **What happened?**_ "  
  
You shivered, his demanding voice only making you ache for him more.    
  
No, bad, focus.    
  
Just where had you gotten that?  How had you not notice it until now?  You tried to think, finding it was hard to do when one was too needy for words and with your sex begging for attention.  
  
You got hurt...when?  
  
Today, you got hurt today.  It was Crocodile and his magic-sand creature, having been left alone with the man in _Baratie_  where he proceeded to try and squeeze information out of you through pain.  Sanji had come to your rescue quite gallantly, but was too late to stop the man from leaving his mark on you.    
  
You sighed and explained everything you could to Zoro, from the moments in the restaurant involving the bond severing, to running into Crocodile again and being saved by Sanji.  When he demanded to know what you meant by the bond severing did you reluctantly tell him about his time in a berserker state and how you had to untangle his end.  He took this all in, hand rubbing up and down your leg in a gentle caress until your explanation got up to him molesting you in the hall then dragging you to the bedroom.  
  
Then he closed up, few to little emotions slipping from him to you as he pulled away to sit on the edge of the bed, his back facing you as he rested his arms on  his knees.  His back and shoulder muscles tensed as he stared hard at the floor, you watching him hesitantly while trying to soothe the male through your end, but was disappointed when you gained no reaction.  
  
"Zoro..."  
  
He didn't respond, just clasped his hands together as his body grew rigid and you felt nothing but frustration and anger seep from him.    
  
"I haven't done shit to protect you."  
  
You stared for a while, unsure how to respond before you crawled over to him, brushing his back with the tips of your fingers before you trailed them up and down his spine.  He made no move to stop you, but you also knew he felt too crappy to reject your touch.  The wolf didn't say anything for a long while, just glared at the floor while you tried to get him to open up; to see it wasn't his fault by telling him you were fine and that everything was okay.  When none of this did anything to help, you moved forward to rest your forehead against his shoulder, palms laying on his back and groping at his tanned skin while you tried to think of a way to make him feel better.  
  
"You know...Sometimes you make me so mad."  He didn't answer, so you continued.  "You have zero sense of direction, you drink all the time, and you break almost everything you get your hands on."  
  
Zoro tensed and you could feel his frustration grow.  
  
You smiled, "But...even with all those faults, and many more I won't name, I still can't help but love you a thousand times more.  I love how I have to grab your arm so you won't get lost, or when we go shopping and you just grab whatever alcohol is on the shelf and throw it in the cart."  You kissed his shoulder blade gently, feeling the muscle twitch beneath your lips.  
  
"I love how you wait for me to come home or when you try to keep the house clean."  You reached around him to place a hand on his clasped ones, fingers rubbing over his knuckles gently.  "I love it when we hold hands."  
  
Zoro blinked then slowly took hold of your hand, tangling his fingers with your own and giving them a squeeze.  You pressed your smiling lips into his shoulder, feeling his end of the bond gradually open up again.  
  
"I love your faults as much as I love your strengths."  You moved to rest your chin on his shoulder, seeing him look at you from the corner of his eye.  He still had his frown firmly in place, but you could tell he was coming around.  You gave him another smile before you pressed you mouth to his ear, warm breath fanning over his lobe and making him shudder.  
  
"I love everything about you, Zoro.  Don't let a man like Crocodile make you think that will ever change."  
  
He turned his head to look at you, his gaze searching and intent on finding just the littlest flicker of doubt while his hand still held yours tightly.  You saw the light in his eye return, a small smile growing before he turned around completely to kiss you.  He held your cheek in his hand as he pulled you close, lips pressing hard against one another while tongues rolled around like it was a wrestling match.  Zoro's large hand moved to rest on your neck as his kiss became more insistent, giving you very little time to get a breath of fresh air as he started to herd you towards the middle of the bed.  He let go of your hand to start pushing your shirt up, gaining a nice peek of your hip that made him want to rip the entire thing off.  You pulled away to breathe, chest rising and falling rapidly as Zoro continued to push your shirt up and finally getting a clear view of your breasts and panties.  Your face felt like it was burning, a flush spreading over your cheeks and ears as you watched Zoro take in all of you.  
  
Oh crap, this was going to be harder then you thought.  Even with all your struts of confidence and your pretty words, you still felt like an awkward teen when you were around the wolf.  Just knowing he was going to finally have sex with you was....oh lord, you needed so much more air.  
  
No, it's okay.  You got this.  This wasn't your first rodeo.  
  
"You sure you want to continue?"  
  
Looking up, you noticed Zoro appeared entertained, his grin wide and his eye lidded with that know-it-all stare he sometimes had when he was about to say something snarky.  He didn't have to ask how you were, considering you were broadcasting it loudly over the bond.  
  
You glared, smacking his chest as he practically laughed at you.  "S-Shut up and take off your pants."  
  
He smirked and leaned in close, his cheek brushing against yours as he neared your ear.  He puffed air into it before taking the lobe between his teeth, nipping it light before he rumbled a reply in your ear that made you grip the waistband of his jeans with a feverish thrill.  "Is that an **_order_**?"  
  
You gasped and held onto the fabric tightly, more to feel like you weren't falling then eagerness to see him naked.  He chuckled and nipped your ear again, his hands moving to unbutton his pants and slowly slip them off.  
  
And of course, the sexy ass had gone commando.  He could never get over not being naked all the time and opted to just ignore underwear altogether.  It infuriated you not only because you spent all that money on boxers, but that you knew he was just walking around with his junk just...right there!!  You could slip your hands down his pants at any time and just feel all of him and it wasn't fair because people weren't supposed to do that in public!!  
  
Speaking of a certain someone's junk.  Can you just say, that even though you've been flashed here and there and even had it up close in your face, you still haven't gotten a chance really look at it?  Yeah.  And holy crap, there it was.  It hung there with a slight curve to it's stiffness, looking just a little above average length but much thicker then anyone you've ever been with.  You briefly wondered if you could wrap your slender hand all the way around when Zoro decided for you, taking your wrist and bringing your fingers within reach of his stiff cock.  
  
"It won't bite," He teased, watching your face turn red all over again before you closed your eyes and tried to slow down your thumping heart.  He pressed close to you and started to kiss your neck, pulling your hand just a bit closer until you could feel his member brush against your fingers.  You gasped and bit your lower lip, feeling like a little virgin as you finally took hold of him and squeezed.  You jerked when he suddenly bucked, growling softly against your throat until you squeezed again.    
  
You were rewarded with another thrust of his hips before you felt a small drizzle of pre-cum drip onto your hand.  Your own sex was buzzing with heat now, feeling like your limbs were suddenly being wrapped in ribbons and heating up every nerve in your body.  Then you pictured the bond, your own end much like the thick ribbons that you imagined were wrapping tight against you.  You wondered if this was Zoro's doing or if you both were just sharing pleasure at this point.  You gave his penis a hard stroke and suddenly felt like your body was tingling all over.  Yep, definitely sharing pleasure.  
  
Zoro growled in your ear and pulled away, tugging you into his lap and pressing his member up against your stomach, raising your shirt again so it could touch your bare skin.  He kissed you roughly on the mouth while his fingers quickly hooked on the waistband of your underwear, tugging insistently until you finally shifted around to slip them off.  Your shirt was next, the wolf pulling it over your head hastily while you reached forward and tugged his own unbuttoned one off his large shoulders.  
  
Now everything felt like it was speeding up, as if you both were suddenly tired of all the teasing and foreplay and were ready for the main course.  You had to gather yourself a moment, wondering how long you two had been petting and groping one another before you were finally naked, bodies pressed impossibly close and heat passing between you both.  Your breasts were pushed right into his chest, nipples rubbing over his hard body while your nerves felt like they were electrified.  Zoro looked equally as frazzled, his face and ears now a light pink as he breathed heavily through his mouth, hands shaking as they moved to rub your arms.  
  
You felt him burrow his nose in your hair and took a deep breath, rocking his hips so you could feel his hard dick against your stomach, reminding you just how much he wanted you.  He moved in and kissed you, lips clumsily landing on the corner of your mouth before he tried again, mouth soft against your own while you reached up to run your fingers through his hair.  
  
" _Zoro~_..."  
  
He took the hint and moved to grip your hips, rubbing circles in your skin with his thumbs before he slowly lifted you.  You jerked slightly, chest heaving as you stared down at the wolf and him up at you.  Zoro moved his lower body around a little, trying to get a bit more comfortable before he started to slowly lower you, anticipation growing and making the air tense.  You felt something hard brush your entrance, sending a scorching heat quickly shoot from your abdomen and straight up through your chest.  You arched as he started to push the head of the shaft in, feeling the thickness stretch and fill you until you were finally back in his lap, your body taking time to adjust to the member as it twitched and filled you.  
  
Zoro pressed his nose against the side of your face, looking wound up as he waited for you to start moving.  You tried to regain some of your senses as you raised wobbly hands and wrapped them around his neck, making sure you had a good hold on him so you wouldn't fall into this pleasurable abyss.  Then you twitched your hips and saw stars; Zoro gasping hard into your ear and bucked, producing more stars and spots to cloud your vision.  
  
You felt him stretch you more, his thrust making you feel full and empty at the same time as you dug your fingers deep into his skin.  "A-Again!!"  
  
The man growled and complied, hitting one of your sweet spots on the second try and making you moan in satisfaction.  Your head rolled back when he did it once more, pulling out and pushing back in while you felt your slick fluids make the motions and thrusts easy and smooth.  Zoro quickly latched his mouth onto your neck and kissed it urgently, biting the side of you throat until a hickey formed while he started a constant rhythm of thrusts into you.  You bounced lightly in his lap as the sound of skin slapping against skin filled the room, mixing with the now light rain that was splashing against your window.    
  
Each time he pushed into you was another nerve that caught on fire, another aching need filled, and a step closer to falling over the edge.  His arms were wrapped tightly around your back, claws digging into your skin, but not hard enough to leave a mark.  You could feel sweat start to form on both of your bodies as his teeth continued to leave marks all over your neck, pounding into you while your legs turned to jelly and your body started to tremble.  
  
Zoro reached down to grip your ass as he went faster, lifting you up and down when you started to get tired while he crushed his lips against yours.  Then you felt your vision go white as the build up of lust, pleasure, need, and love exploded across your chest and making you pull away so you could gasp.  He clung to you, continuing to pump into you a few more times before he pulled out.  Your body quivered when you felt something warm coat your stomach, dribbling down your skin and between your thighs as Zoro's cum mixed with your own.  
  
He panted heavily into your ear, one hand now gripping your hair while the other stayed on your ass and squeezed.  You felt his cock, now slightly limp against your leg as you snuggled closer in his lap.  You both took a moment to get a hold of yourselves, still riding a sexual high that had been building up ever since you two made it to the cabin in the woods.  You both felt like the room was too hot, too thick with sex and sweat that it only made it harder and harder to breathe.  You had to cling to him just to keep from falling back, Zoro's arms loosely wrapped around your waist as he rested his head against your shoulder.  
  
Zoro was the first to recover as he hugged you closer, kissing your cheekbone then your lips as he fell back onto the mattress and dragged you with him.  You laughed softly and wiggled a bit on top of him, earning a scowl as he tightened his hold to keep you still.  You moved up a little to kiss the scar on his eye, watching him smile very slightly as he looked ready to pass out beneath you.  It was odd how quick it was over, how much built up it took to get here and how much time and trust you two had formed to finally become united in both body and soul...well, magic, but whatever.  
  
You smiled when Zoro reached out the tuck some hair behind your ear, cupping your cheek as you both silently decided it was time for a little nap.  
  
Burying your face into his chest, you smelled his scent mixed with sweat and sex, finding it more delightful and glad that you'd get a chance to experience this over and over for the rest of your life.  And just as you were falling asleep, you were sure you heard the man whisper one last thing to you, his voice echoing inside your head and making you feel content.  
  
" _I love you..._ "


	27. Chapter 27

Ew.  
  
Ew ew ew ew ew.  
  
You knew better.  You definitely **knew** better.  
  
No matter how great the deed or how _phenomenal_ the sex was, one must always, Always, **ALWAYS** clean up afterwards.  Not only does it make you feel better when you finish, but it's good for your health.  It's always best to go to the bathroom, shower, or just wipe yourself down so you can kill any bacteria shared between couples; lest you'd end up having an awkward conversation with your doctor.  
  
♪~ The more you know ~♬  
  
"Zoro," You huffed, hands patting the broad chest beneath your cheek.  "Lemme up."  
  
He grumbled, arms circling around you in a possessive hug, one hand quickly tangling itself in your hair while the other wrapping tightly around your waist.  You squeaked, his squeeze so tight that it felt like your back was about to pop.  He didn't seem to notice your discomfort as he pulled you up and closer to his head, burying his face in your hair and inhaling deeply.  
  
You scowled, a heated flush spreading across your face as you tried to control your desire while feeling his so clearly through the bond.  You wanted a shower, you _**needed**_ a shower.  Thinking carefully, you reached up to caress Zoro's cheek, hoping if you were affectionate he would loosen his grip and allow you to wiggle away.  What you got instead was a flare of hot lust come from his end as he tightened his hug then rolled onto his side, naked body flushed against his as he took you with him.  
  
" _Zoroooo!!_ "  
  
All bets were off now!  You kicked your legs wildly, but was quickly subdued as he wrapped his own around yours which only served to pull you that much closer.  You tried so hard not to focus on his large body, his muscled arms holding you so intently while you could feel his fingers start to move and knead your skin and making you feel all tingly and excited.  Letting out a pitiful whine, you tried to wiggle from his grasp by placing your hands on his shoulders, pushing at them and even managing to move your body downwards.  But Zoro only growled and clasped you down tighter, stopping your movements with your face planted in his hard chest where you could smell the lingering sweat and sex from mere hours before.    
  
If anything, you both needed a shower.  
  
You could feel your frustration grow as you flailed and pinched his hips, grinning in triumph when his brow furrowed and his grip loosened just slightly.  Taking the opportunity, you about squirmed to freedom, pushing at the male hard enough to be able to sit up and make it halfway across the bed before you felt large hands grab your waist.  You looked back at Zoro whose eye was halfway open then gasped loudly when he pulled you back down and into another tight hug, his face quickly pushing into the side of your head with a long sigh.  His relief and happiness practically seeped through the bond, his need to hold you growing stronger by the second and only making you not want to move at all.  
  
This would be extremely sweet if you didn't feel so gross at the moment.  You smacked his chest smartly and glared up into his lidded eye, about to demand he let you go, but stopped when he pressed his growing arousal into your stomach.  
  
"Z-Zoro!"  A flush spread across your face as it heated up, suddenly realizing just how naked you both were.  Just feeling his hard member flushed and stiff against your naval only made the situation more...intense.  All you had to do was just reach down and grasp it.  You would feel him twitch in your hand, fingers firm near the top where your thumb could rub circles around the head before you'd lazily start to stroke-    
  
**No, NO!**  You had to get a hold of yourself!!  Water!!  Soap!!  Shampoo!!  
  
The male moved his head a bit so his lips were touching your temple, delicately kissing it while his hand curled back into your hair and massaged your scalp with careful fingers.  Zoro was slowly coaxing you to give in, knowing you were fighting your desire for him by the bits of emotions that broadcasted through.  
  
C-Conditioner!!  Loofa!!  
  
Then you felt him grope your ass, palming it gently while also pushing you closer into his body, his twitching member now squeezed between the both of you which made you that much more excited.  
  
B-Body wash...Think about the body wash!  I-It was your favorite scent and it would make you feel so much cleaner and it even had bits of glitter in it!!  This line of thought seemed to help strengthen your resolve a bit, so you quickly thought of how soft the gel made your skin and how great it felt putting it on.  You even remembered the time Zoro accidentally used it and came out with tiny bits of glitter on his body.  He tried to act nonchalant about it, but you had found it completely hilarious which only made him pout as a dog for a good two days.  
  
This was working!!  You almost had enough willpower to ignore Zoro's wandering fingers that were inching closer and closer to your sex.  
  
H-how had he accidentally used it anyways!?  His own body wash was in a black bottle and wasn't hard to spot!!  Heck, it even smelled different, he should have realized that as he started to apply it to his skin.  Zoro should have stopped as he spotted the glitter wash over his firm arm muscles, his hands roaming down his body and gliding over every expanse of skin.  He'd go slow, deliberate in his movements as he made sure to reach every little spot he could; starting around his chest and casually going down, down, _down~_  
  
SHIT!!  How'd you come back to sex?!  You really were a pervert!!  
  
You looked up, seeing him stare down at you sleepily, his ruby red eye flashing in the dim room as he casually slipped his hand between your legs.  
  
"Z-Zoro," You gasped out, quickly digging your fingers into his chest so he would look at you.  The male stalled his movements at this, frown forming on his face as he waited while you took a few deep breaths.  "A-As much as I love this, we both really need to c-clean up."  
  
He mumbled something incoherent under his breath so you tried to clarify while ignoring the digits waiting so eagerly between your legs.  "S-Shower!  I need a shower!!"  
  
Comprehension lit up in his eye and he gave you a tired yawn before sitting up, arms secure around your body and pulling you with him once again.  You watched as he kicked away the blankets and pillows clumsily before slipping off the bed, you held in a tight hug with your feet dangling over the floor.  You blinked in confusion before he started to walk out of the room and towards the bathroom, still looking like he was half asleep as he turned on the restroom light and stumbled in.  
  
"What are-??"  You didn't get a chance to finish as he walked over to the bathtub, carefully stepping in with you still secure in his arms before turning the knobs on the tile wall.  Cold water quickly blasted out of the shower head and drenched you both, making you yelp loudly while Zoro glared at it in annoyance.  
  
"Piece of shit..."  Zoro grumbled, fiddling with the knobs while you wiped water from your eyes.  
  
You hadn't meant for the both of you to shower together, in fact, it never even crossed your mind!!  It should have though, I mean, you've thought of doing him in various parts of the house...Holy hell, you could do him in those places now.  Sex was an option!!  
  
This revelation came to you just as the cold water turned warm then hot, steam billowing by your feet and clouding up the whole room.  Zoro seemed satisfied with the temperature before he closed the shower curtain and turned to look at you with a wide grin, proud of getting the shower to work and managing to fulfill your need to get clean.  Then you watched as his cheeks suddenly turned pink, spreading across his nose and forehead and even the tips of his ears while his good eye started to roam over your body achingly slow.  It was like he'd suddenly woke up and realized what he'd gotten himself into, staring at you while water slid down your body and making your hair cling to your face in slight curls.  
  
He seemed to swallow hard and you didn't need the bond to know he was becoming cautious and shy, much like he was before he gathered up the courage to finally touch your breasts.  
  
You couldn't help but snicker, drawing a scowl on his face and making him step closer to you.    
  
"W-What are you laughing about?"  
  
You grinned, noticing his blush was pinker then ever and finding it funny that he was the nervous one considering he was the one who dragged you here.  "Nothing~."  
  
Zoro snorted.  He eyed you closely as he gained control over his embarrassment and his face gradually went back to it's normal tanned tone, but if you looked close enough you could still see flecks of pink coloring his cheeks; the sight just made you want to kiss his face all over until he was completely flushed again.  The man growled and moved even closer, obviously feeling your amusement from your end and growing frustrated that you weren't taking him seriously.    
  
But it was so hard to, he was such a dork.  
  
"Oi," he huffed, suddenly so close that he practically pinned you to the shower wall, his hands moving to rest against either side of your head so you had no chance of escape.  His body blocked most of the water raining down, splashing over his back and shoulders while cascading down his front in little streams that seemed to run over every inch of skin that begged to be touched.  You watched with wide, eager eyes, amusement quickly replaced with lust and need.    
  
You wanted to run your hands down his body, to feel him tense beneath your touch and to gasp in pleasure when you teased him mercilessly. Zoro quickly buried his face into your neck, breath hot and heavy against your skin and making you shiver with delight.    
  
"Y-You're doing this on purpose..."  His voice barely audible over the water, but you could tell it sounded deeper and there was a slight tremor to it, like he was having a hard time trying to keep his composure.  
  
You licked your lips, finding it difficult to use your voice when you realized he wasn't the only one frazzled.  "Y-You started it."  
  
He growled in response, stepping closer so his body was now pressed against yours, firm and large as he pushed you flush against the wall and his right leg wiggled itself between your thighs.  You held your breath as your mind became fuzzy, waiting for him to touch you, tease you, grope, pinch, anything!!  You wanted it, you craved it~!  Your hands were braced against the tile wall, trying to keep yourself standing while you felt him nuzzle his face into the space between your neck and collar bone.  
  
Zoro inhaled deeply then reached down towards the side of the tub, fumbling a bit before he grabbed one of the bottles placed there.  His gaze flitted to the label then back to you, popping open the lid with a flick of his thumb before pouring the gel down your front.  
  
You squeaked, feeling the cold body wash quickly slide down between your breasts and towards your naval, the thick glob of soap merciless as it made your body tingle and the area between your legs ache.  You looked up at Zoro with wide eyes, face red and muscles taut as you dug your fingers harder into the wall.  
  
"W-What are you doing?!"  
  
His upper lip twitched into an irritated snarl while his hand reached forward to smear the gel into your stomach, watching as you trembled and writhed against his warm touch.  
  
"You said you wanted to get clean."  
  
Zoro's entire palm seemed to stretch out across your naval, pressing and circling into your body as soap suds started to form and made his movements slick and wet.  Little drops of water fell from Zoro's shoulders and mixed with the body wash quickly as he massaged your stomach, face stoic as he studied the area with complete concentration.  
  
Oh dear lord, it's not what you meant, but it's definitely what you wanted.   
  
You couldn't even look away, just blush and gasp as your eyes followed his kneading fingers that slid across your skin and seem to delight in your heat.  His knuckles shifted slowly, fingers once spread now close together so he could move his palm upward, making your body jerk as he reached the area between your breasts.  Just feeling his hand on on your chest made you heart beat erratically, making you feel lightheaded and drunk with desire.  
  
He leaned in, forehead pressed against yours as he focused all his attention on you, your quivering body, fluttering eyes, and parted lips; all of it sending a rush of excitement through the both of you as you shared in this pleasure.  You gasped when he moved his hand to your right breast, cupping it gently before he rubbed sudsy gel against your nipple that sent a surge of electricity across your chest.    
  
You threw your head back in response, body shuddering as you tried to gain control of your senses while your lungs felt like they were about to burst from lack of air.  In that brief moment it almost seemed like you'd forgotten how to breathe, your whole body absorbed in Zoro's soft, warm strokes that seemed to set your entire being on fire.  The water and body wash certainly didn't help the matter, the gel making Zoro's hand slick and smooth over every part of your chest until he was certain you were squeaky clean.  
  
"Oi, look at me."  
  
You moved your gaze to Zoro's face, shuddering softly when you realized he was much closer now, able to see the flecks of amber that seemed to be mixed beautifully in his red eye.  He leaned in as you stared, lips pressing firmly against yours in an loving kiss, the action startling you slightly before you began to kiss back.  
  
Suddenly, his hand didn't seem as important, not when he carefully pushed his tongue into your mouth and explored every inch of it he could.  You helped him along, your own slick appendage guiding and coaxing him into a dance that made you both moan.  You quickly wrapped your arms around his neck and hooked your leg on his hip, eager to feel him push inside you and make you feel full again.  Zoro's other hand quickly tangled itself in your wet hair and you felt him slightly buck against you, his hard member pressing against your stomach once more.  
  
The kiss broke and you both panted, eyes dazed and bodies trembling in unbelievable pleasure.  You found yourself looking at Zoro's face again, watching his half-lidded eye flash in hunger while his cheeks appeared to be a dark red.  He was as shaken as you and you couldn't help but love him more for it.  You smiled at him and ran a hand through his short locks, going through his bangs before traveling up his scalp then sideways to his left ear, his earrings clinking against your fingers.  Your hand then went to his cheek, brushing it affectionately before you moved up to trace the scar over his eye.  
  
Zoro didn't seem to mind this, leaning his face against your hand and closing his good eye in total relaxation.  Everything felt calm that moment, all your pleasure suddenly background noise as you both just enjoyed each other's touch, his fingers now combing through your hair and pushing it away from your face as you continued to caress his scar.  
  
It almost seemed like you both had been changing radio stations back and forth, different kinds of music mixing together and seeming like a garbled mess.  But now, somehow, you both had found the exact same frequency, able to completely hear, taste, see, touch and smell what the other did.    
  
You suddenly felt as one.    
  
A fleeting memory of this happening before flashed across your mind, suddenly feeling like you had when you were leaving the elevator at Baratie.  Though it had been brief then, you had found yourself looking through Zoro's eyes, his claws digging holes in your table before the bond's link had suddenly ceased.  You tried to hold onto these thoughts, fascinated that it was happening again but in a different way, something that seemed more powerful and intense.  
  
And as quickly as this lasted at Baratie, it ended.  The severing link made you jerk against the shower wall and your eyes fluttered open, unsure when you had even closed them.  Whatever frequency you and Zoro had shared was no longer there, now back to your emotions traveling through the bond at a sluggish pace.  It was almost painful how long it took to feel Zoro's end, even though you were sure it was going it's normal speed of sending messages of raw emotion back and forth.  But it was obvious it had nothing on what the both of you had just experienced, not that instant gratification of kissing, hugging, touching, and loving as one.  
  
Shit, the whole thing gave you goosebumps.  
  
You were about to question Zoro about it when you realized he wasn't looking at you, his head turned as he stared at the curtain...no, the bathroom door.  
  
"Zoro?"  
  
He placed his hand over your mouth, brow furrowed and frown deep.  "Something's in the apartment..."  
  
You froze, heart rate picking up in speed as you looked at your bathroom door from the corner of your eye.  You knew you shouldn't be afraid, not with Zoro here with you and your amateur self-defense moves, but there was just something about fighting an intruder when naked.  It made you feel vulnerable and weak, like you were practically presenting your neck to the enemy to cut.   
  
Your hands moved to Zoro's arms, fingers digging into his skin as you tried to figure out what you were supposed to do.  He placed a hand over your heart, palm pressed ever so gently on the left side of your chest while he soothed you through the bond.  You could feel his confidence, knowing he could handle whatever was inside your home and his calm; gentle and caressing against you like an ocean side breeze.  Then you started to relax, shoulders lowering from where you'd been bunching them up and your hands laying flat on Zoro's arms instead of digging into them.    
  
Satisfied, Zoro stepped away and pointed to the shower head, shaking his head no before placing a single finger against his lips.  He mouthed a 'stay here' before he carefully opened the curtain and stepped out of the tub.  You kept your back pressed against the wall and watched, biting your lower lip hard to keep from making any noise as Zoro quietly opened the door to the hallway.  
  
You already missed him as he left through the door, feeling lost without his hand against your heart and sending reassuring waves through the shared link.  You worried he would get hurt or worse, and thinking about it didn't help you stay calm, your chest starting to heave again as the hot water slowly turned cold.  
  
It felt like the tension would last forever, nervously waiting for Zoro to say everything was okay, that it was a false alarm and that you both could go back to bed and just hold each other until you were one again.  
  
But you didn't get that, instead there was a loud crash and snarl from down the hall.  
  
You didn't waste any time thinking, just felt your legs twitch and your body lurch out of the bathtub and towards the door, almost slipping on the vinyl flooring before you made it through the door.  You ran down the hallway and saw no one in the living room, but you did hear a loud scuffle in the kitchen along with the sound of breaking glass.    
  
_SHIT!!_  
  
Dashing forward, you skidded to a halt when you saw Zoro crouched in the middle of the room, muscles rigid and head tilted as if he were listening closely for something.  There were bits of cups shattered on the ground around his feet and even a few bent silverware, then you noticed most if not all your kitchen drawers and cabinets were open.  Looking closely, you noticed that the corners and handles of the cabinets had been chewed on, teeth marks sharp and merciless from whatever had decided cheap wood made a great meal.  Some of the little doors even had holes in them, ones big enough for an adult ferret to squirm through and burrow around.  
  
"What the hell...??"  
  
Zoro looked over his shoulder at you, raising a hand for silence as he titled his head once more to listen.  You tensed up and focused as well, disappointed when all you could hear was your blood pumping and pulse pounding in fear.  Zoro suddenly sniffed the air and scowled as he turned to the cabinet by the fridge, the plates stacked inside quickly toppling forward and smashing into the counter and floor loudly.  You heard a distinct, tiny snarl and then suddenly Zoro was yelping and shaking his arm frantically.  
  
You watched in utter confusion as he cursed and pushed at whatever was attached to his arm, it's invisible claws and teeth sinking into his flesh and making him bleed.  Gasping, you watched as he managed to snatch a part of the creature somehow, fist closed over something thick and holding it out with a frown.  
  
"W-What the hell is it?!"  
  
"I don't know, I can't see the damn thing."  Zoro snarled and held it out at arms length, his hand shaking slightly from the creature's squirming.  
  
Annoyed, you ran back to your room and shuffled around your discarded clothes before you found the spyglass hidden under Zoro's shirt.  You snatched it up and scurried back to the kitchen, turning it three times over your eye along the way and stopping just beside Zoro who was having a bit more trouble holding whatever he had still.  
  
You stared with open mouth when you got a good look at the thing.  "I-It's Crocodile's sand thing!!"  
  
No, it was too small to be the one that floated around him.  This one was like a baby being compared to it's mother, it's tiny clawed feet flailing and it's body swinging as it tried to snap at Zoro who was holding it by the end of it's tail.  It seemed to be about the size of a house cat, it's sand and smoke looking less refined and thick then the one that frequented Crocodile's side, though it didn't make it any less weird looking...Wait, what the heck was on it's head??  What you'd thought had been bits of sand was actually something attached to it's skull, a weird tumor in the shape of...a banana?   
  
That's weird, right?    
  
"It's like a baby or something," You frowned, not daring to lean too close or you'd get a chunk chewed out.  
  
Zoro's nose flared and his upper lip twitched, "It smells like magic..."  
  
You blinked and looked down at your ankle, seeing the now faded mark from that run in the park.  "Do you think it's what bit me?"  
  
The wolf shrugged, looking more annoyed now as he used his other hand to feel around until he had a hold of the creature's stomach, squeezing it and making it squeak like a chew toy.  "It's probably what dragged you into the street too.  It's pretty strong."  
  
You glared at it, "How the heck did it get into the house."  
  
Zoro gestured towards the living room, "The board over the broken window has a hole chewed through.  This thing has probably been working on it for a while before it could get inside."  
  
You turned your glare to your boyfriend and he had the gall to look guiltless, knowing it was him that had broken that damn glass when he jumped through it.  
  
This is why you can't have nice things.  
  
"What do we do with it?"  Zoro asked, giving the alligator another squeeze, the creature's eyes bugging out slightly before it snarled again.  You stared at the weird Banana-Gator, unsure what you could do with a creature like this.  You didn't want it to stay here, that's for sure, but what the heck were you supposed to store a cursed alligator with a tumor on it's head?!  
  
Looking thoughtful, you quickly remembered the little magic shop just a few miles away.  "We could take it to _Viola's_.  I bet they'd know what to do with it."  
  
"She's not even a witch," Zoro huffed.  
  
"So, she still might know what to do-!!"  You jumped back in shock when the creature suddenly slipped between Zoro's hands in a burst of sand, swirling and circling his arm and battering against his skin until it formed an ugly red rash.    
  
The male snarled and tried to grab the creature again, shocked when his fingers merely brushed against sand as it continued to attack him.  You ran forward and smacked at the sand desperately, knowing it would be useless if Zoro couldn't hold it anymore.  
  
Imagine your shock when the thing actually fell away, your hand knocking it to the ground and making it form back into a semi-shape of an alligator.  It snarled at you and scurried towards your feet, causing you to squeak and hop from foot to foot before you found yourself climbing onto the kitchen counter.  You watched through the spy glass as the curse snapped it's jaws at you as it desperately tried to climb the wood, claws digging into the closed cabinets and even managing to make it halfway up before Zoro suddenly appeared and shot something at it.  
  
The creature flailed and fell to the floor, struggling on it's back as the wolf sprayed it with the sink's water hose.  It became less and less like sand and smoke and more solid, even becoming visible without the use of the spyglass that was still in your eye like a monocle.  
  
You watched in fascination from your space on the counter as the creature soaked up the water, a puddle forming around it as it flailed and cried out in frustration.  It continued this even after the spray stopped and Zoro searched around for something.  He grabbed a giant tuppleware container that could hold an entire meal and snatched the creature up, wrestling it into the plastic tin before sealing it shut.  
  
It shook and thrashed inside it's prison, trying to dig and bite a way out while Zoro held it up to look more closely.  
  
You slipped off the counter slowly, taking the spyglass from your eye and stepping close.  "How...How did you know that would work???"  
  
Zoro shook the container and grinned when the alligator stumbled and fell to it's side.  "I was only able to hold it because I was still wet.  I didn't realize it until you smacked it away."  
  
You looked at your hands curiously, still seeing drops of water on them then at Zoro's who had gone dry just minutes before.    
  
"We'll take it to _Viola's_ tomorrow," Zoro said as he placed the alligator on the counter, the creature looking a little bit dizzy now after he had given it another shake.    
  
You crossed your arms and glowered at the creature, more annoyed that you had been scared of this thing all this time.  "Good.  Maybe if we're lucky we can sell CB to pay for all the damages he caused."  
  
Your poor plates, your chewed up cabinets and drawers, your entire kitchen was a mess.  
  
Zoro nodded and did a double take, eye twitching as he stared at you.  "Did...Did you just call it CB?  Did you just name it?!"  
  
Puffing up, you glared right back.  "Well, it's easier then calling it _'magic gator'_ or _'Crocodile's minion'_ or whatever.  It's not like I want to keep it!"  
  
The male sighed in exasperation and rubbed the bridge of his nose, silent for just a few moments before he looked like he was about to regret what he said next.  "What does CB stand for...?"  
  
You turned your harsh stare back at the creature, eyes narrowed dangerously and even making the banana-gator cower slightly.   " _ **Cock Blocker**_."


	28. Chapter 28

Beware of strangers.

Every parent hammers it into their kid's head to steer clear of suspicious people, folks whose actions made your senses prickle with anxiety and your body to grow tense in dread.  You're implored to be wary of the 'weird', 'freaky', and 'eccentric'; to scream, run away and notify an adult.  These people were labeled dangerous, as if oozing the **bizarre** and _unusual_ like a slug with extra, gooey mucus.  They dressed differently, spoke differently, and were overall too different to be worth anyone's time.

Y'know, the usual bullshit.

Not that you were knocking this mindset.  A lot of people manage to avoid crazy situations based on their gut instincts - instincts that go wild around certain individuals (both strange and normal).

Unfortunately, you were currently up to your head with wacky and peculiar people.  With a creep like Crocodile who's magic would ruin any day at the beach, then a ~~jackass~~ bounty hunter named Mihawk who liked stalking people with giant swords, and finally, a kitchen wrecking, ankle biting, cock blocking curse that now lived in your Tupperware.  It was a wonder you continued on like normal.

Might I also add that all of the above have tried to kill you?

You didn't even want to start on Zoro.  He was the reason for getting you into crazy situations, walking around all nonchalant while dragging enemies into your life like a redneck who ran over a raccoon.  You should be working on your degree and shoveling popcorn in your mouth on scary movie night, not fighting off spells and going head to head with witches.

Plus, he's a werewolf.  If that didn't top the weird charts then you didn't know what would.  Zoro didn't even realize how much of his absurd shit you put up with, what with his impressive strength that broke everything in sight, his blunt (bordering on rude) attitude towards people not in the "pack", and his odd inclination to growl at the mailman.

Zoro's _**so**_ lucky he's too dorky to use his powers for evil or else you wouldn't even be dating him.  Well...he was also smart when he wanted to be, not to mention fun, cute, and very sexy.  No one should forget the last part, especially with how arousing his shoulders were.  You couldn't help but get grabby and cling to them, just to experience their powerful strength.  Then there was his neck that demanded all your licks, nips, and kisses until there were hickeys everywhere~!

Oh god, the way he held you with those sturdy arms while you both reveled in each others' fierce desire through the bond.  It'd feel so incredible.  Then Zoro would kiss your cheek, his lips lingering for the barest of moments before he went on to place these same pecks long your collar bone.  You'd arch and hold onto him tight, savoring the soft, rose petal kisses while his touch burned like wildfire.

You'd moan while his hands raked down your back.  Whine when he teased you with gentle nips to your chin.  Then rush in with growing impatience that made you want to rip his clothes off.  Your fingers would dance across his wide chest, grasping and stroking at the hard muscles before moving down to tug at the hem of his jeans-

...

L-Let's get back on topic.

Which is, how to react to crazy.

You could always run away and never look back.  Or maybe find a hiding place and call the police.  Screaming for help was also good, or even fighting back.  There were so many ways to handle these situations, all of them requiring common sense and quick thinking.  

One does not stand around at the park like a gullible moron as a strange man shoves a plate of pasta into their hands.  One does **not** smile politely and start to eat the steamy noodles and red sauce while listening to him communicate in German.  And one certainly does **NOT** follow said man's directions into the woods where he claims to have seen your dog.

Because that person would have to a COMPLETE IDIOT for doing any of that.

...

....

...........OKAY!!

In your defense, the guy didn't appear threatening at all.  He was just a nice foreigner talking about _"der Veratt"_ this and _"sein Einsamkeit"_ that and other things you couldn't really translate (your foreign language skills were mediocre at best).  And it wasn't like you were hungry or in need of Italian cuisine, but it'd certainly be rude to just start screaming.

_"Help!  Help!"_   You'd raise the pasta high over your head for dramatic effect.  _"I need an adult!!  This man gave me food!!"_

No, that's just silly.

Instead, you thanked him and followed his directions into the woods, unaffected by the daunting height of the elms and chestnuts that scraped against the spring sky, naive to what frightening creatures may live inside it's borders, and hopeful of what secrets you might discover.  

You'd brave anything as long as it led to Zoro.

As you walked in, you were unable to help but marvel at the towering trees that seemed much more welcoming up close.  They scattered the landscape like a crowded party, a few bunched up in close proximity while others were spread far and wide.  You reached out and felt the rough texture of the coffee colored bark beneath your finger tips, noting how brittle it looked despite being anything but. 

Above you were bright, emerald green leaves that looked cheerful from the spring bloom; a welcoming sight after a long and unforgiving winter.  You noticed each pine cone that crunched beneath your feet and every twig that snapped with each step you took - but instead of being annoyed - you greeted the sounds with a smile and a skip.  
  


You took a deep breath as you went further in, lost in wonder from the fresh cedar and perky wildflower.  Below were bits of yellow along the ground where goldenrod grew, while lovely purples popped out of bushes with tiny petals.  You heard twittering birds soar overhead and felt a soft breeze that brushed your hair. All of it reminding you of the times your time spent with your adventurous father who loved to drag you everywhere.   While strenuous and exhausting, most of the memories were happy and especially welcomed after the drawn out divorce.  Your dad, who was afraid you'd grow to hate him in his absence, decided to take on little expeditions where he would urge you to try new things like: 

  


  * Riding a roller coaster.   **[Bribed via CD]**
  * Touring Mammoth Cave.   **[Stubbed all your toes]**
  * Parasailing in Florida.   **[Had nightmares about sharks snatching you out of the air]**
  * Bungee jumping.   **[Chickened out]**
  * Canoeing at his lake house.   **[This was pretty fun]**
  * Snorkeling in the Great Barrier Reef.   **[Too scary, there might have been sharks]**
  * Cage diving with Sharks.   **[NO!!!  WHY!?!]**



And, of course, hiking the _safe_ trails of your state parks.  It was during these _safe_ adventures that he pointed out all the historical landmarks and _safely_ guided you on little tours he planned before hand.  Though there were gross bugs everywhere, prickly bushes that sliced at your knees, and a lingering exhaustion from all the exercise, your dad had kept you distracted and happy with his charming attitude and engaging chatter.    


"In fact," you muttered.

You spotted a meandering dirt path just a bit up ahead, curving around a large bolder embedded in the ground for many years.  Climbing up a little hill, plate of spaghetti still held carefully in your hands, you stepped onto the bumpy little road and stopped for a moment to think.

For some reason you recognized this area, despite not having done a proper hike in five years.  Woodlands were hard to navigate without markers or signs pinpointing the spot one's in, but you seemed to feel like this was the proper way to go.  You didn't question it, just gripped the glass plate tighter and continued forward.  

It all made sense after all.

So around the boulder you went, it's smooth rock face catching the warm sun while moss grew on it's top like wearing a hat on a fine day.  It amused you, but this feeling quickly went away when you found more boulders along the path ahead.  Trees fell in a line behind these rocks while some of their gnarled roots grew around the rubble like thick cages.  Some had spaces between the earth and root to make homes for spiders, daring anyone to come close to their delicate, sparkling webs.  Others had fungus and mushrooms along tree trunks and the dirt path, their stems tall, white, and bundled in groups.

There was no more birdsong or smell of cedar.  No more pine cones to crunch or sticks to crack.  Just a _strange_ path that beckoned you.

Hm, maybe you didn't know the area...

But, you might actually be going the right way.  So, why stop now?

The path was pretty neat too, looking a bit like a tunnel with the way the trees seemed to curve above you and the boulders kept you from going in any other direction.  It might have been man-made, seeing as the possibilities of nature creating a formation like this were very slim.  Either way, you were enjoying it.  The atmosphere was that of a fairy tale, like there was strange magic at work with you experiencing every wonderful moment of it.

Then, you stopped. 

Far, _far_ up ahead was a black, lumbering mass that moved along at a leisurely pace.  You had to squint your eyes to make out it's features, but realized that the swaying mop of fur was a tail and the red strip around it's neck a collar.  Then you noticed the leash attached to it, dragging along the ground like you had only dropped it seconds ago.  You felt only relief as you started to run, smile broad across your face as you worked to catch up to the werewolf.

"Zoro!"

He didn't hear you, just kept moving as if on a jaunty little walk through the park, his red leash growing longer and longer like an unraveling string.  You moved faster and pushed harder to reach him while the trees around you grew thicker and blocked out the light like solid walls.  The woods outside the tunnel of trees were no longer visible and the mushrooms along the ground seemed to glow a soft blue the deeper and darker the path came to be.  

Soon you had caught up to the end of the woven strap, the item laying still on the forest floor while it's other end continued to increase in length.  But you didn't stop to grab it.  You were too afraid that if you spent even a moment doing something other then running, then you'd completely lose sight of him.

But while Zoro continued on in his lazy trot, you found yourself falling further and further behind.  The gap only increased despite how hard you pushed yourself and it only got worse as the tunnel started to go upwards.  What made it worse was his complete unawareness of you.  It was like you didn't even exist and that really pissed you off.

"You asshole-!!!"

Didn't he see you had food in your hands?!  He's not going to be able to have any if you dropped it!

There was a sudden crack from above and you knew something was breaking, possibly falling.  But you kept running; going and going despite the snaps of splintering wood from a heavy and burdensome weight.  Then you saw something drop from the corner of your eye and screamed, spaghetti flying as you threw your arms up the moment you saw the tree branch.

You skidded to a stop, but it was too late.  The massive limb was coming down and you could do nothing but hope you survived before it brutally crushed you-!!

## 

# 

## 

##  _ **CRASH!!!!**_

You jerked awake, expecting to be on the forest floor with your head busted open and your body broken.  You waited for the excruciating pain and for your life to fade, but saw only darkness.  The seconds felt too long as your eyes adjusted, your lungs feeling much too big for your chest as you took deep, terrified breaths.  You could no longer see sunlight filtering through vibrant green leaves or smell the crisp, clean scent of woodland air; nor could you feel the soft breeze tickle your cheeks or appreciate the colorful flowers beneath your feet.

Where were you?  What happened!?

Nothing looked recognizable until you felt something shift and noticed an outline of a man.  You froze in fear before recognizing him from the soft twinkle of gold earrings.

 _Zoro._

He sat up, his hair a ruffled mess and his good eye dazed.  Another, much softer noise from outside the room made him scowl and scratch his neck before lurching out of bed.  Wild mutters were said under his breath, most too low to hear, as he shuffled out of the room.  You watched him grab at the door frame, steadying his steps as he appeared to have as much trouble seeing as you did.  It wasn't until he made it down the hall and turned on a light that you started to spot a few things throughout the room; dirty clothes in one corner, your make-up kit on the dresser, and vintage movie posters scattered about the wall.   

You were home with Zoro.

 _Schuck schuck schuck schuck!!_

You shifted your head a little off the pillow to peer down the hall, imagining the male shaking a box of cereal, but then a tiny screech followed.  He wasn't attacking your breakfast.  Your werewolf boyfriend was just tormenting the sand alligator that was sent to kill you, but got captured and now lived in your Tupperware.

...

Are you sure you weren't dreaming?

Another, much louder, screech followed a furious series of _schuck shcucks_ and you hastily crammed a pillow over your ears.

You wished you could sleep and be back in that wonderful forest fantasy; hiking, running, or whatever you'd been doing.  Damn it, only minutes awake and the dream was already slipping through your fingers.

Not that it mattered, you had already lost too much sleep over that stupid alligator and it's feeble attempts at escape.  It's been six days and that creature has kept you both awake every single night.  You couldn't go a moment without hearing a sharp cry, or the sound of pinprick claws digging desperately into plastic; failing to attain freedom each time, but always succeeding at driving you nuts.

You both had tried to take him to _Viola's_ ever since he broke into the apartment, but every time you went the store was closed.  There were no signs as to when her hours were, or even a note stating she was out of town.  Just closed - leaving you both high and dry while the damn thing made a point of being his loudest at night.

  
  
First he ruined shower sex and now he was ruining bedtime.

That damn _**cock blocker.**_  
  
Footsteps lumbered their way down the hall before Zoro filled the doorway, his broad shoulders blocking out what little light that came from the long hallway.  He seemed to pause, rubbing his eyes tiredly while you couldn't help but flick your gaze over the outlines of stomach and chest muscles.  They curved and rose with every rise and fall of his chest, light and shadow playing off his body like loving caresses.  Just the simple act of breathing made you want Zoro so much that you just had to see more. 

So down your gaze went, watching his hips twitch where the pair of plain grey sweats hung loosely off his delicious hips.  He took a step forward and you swallowed, greedy eyes watching the fabric slide a little down his sexy, _sexy_ body.  
  


  
Then the deja vu hit. 

You remembered a scene from your dream, one that had you focused solely on Zoro's well-built shoulders and how you loved to grab and nuzzle at them.  When you had desired more, your lips moved to his neck where you placed kiss after kiss along his body with the intent of leaving a trail of hickeys.  Then, at some point, you'd turned into a sexual deviant and proceeded to rip off his clothes so you could ravish him over and over.

Damn it!  Even 'dream you' was a pervert!

"It knocked over a vase."

You looked up, realizing Zoro had walked over to your side of the bed.  He looked like he was about to fall over, the bags under his eyes looking heavy and troublesome from lack of sleep.  The wolf had suffered the most these past few days.  Not only was he losing sleep after hours, but CB also interrupted his morning, afternoon, and after dinner naps; making it impossible for him to fully function like normal.

And let's just say, an exhausted Zoro is not a fun Zoro.

He didn't give you a chance to reply, too grumpy and lucid as he crawled on top of you to get into bed.  You twitched and tried to move over, hoping to avoid his prodding, clawed fingers.  But being sluggish yourself, you couldn't avoid the inevitable.  You yelped when a prickling poke got you in the back and you turned around to push the hand away.  Zoro reacted quickly by gathering you up in his arms to cuddle, as if this would make up for your sour mood.  He even tightened his ironclad grip when you tried to get free (didn't he realize how humid it was?!), his body forming a cocoon while he buried his face in your neck and inhaled.

You cringed when a fat bead of sweat rolled down your back and left behind a long and icky trail.

EWWW!  It was too muggy for cuddles and your boyfriend was making it _wooooorsssseeeee._

"Zoro!  Let go!"

He growled and wrapped his legs around yours then pressed a long, heated kiss against your throat.  Face now scorching red, you couldn't help but feel he was doing this on purpose!!  You wanted to fight back, especially when Zoro pressed his body close and his pants started to slip a little too low down his hips.  But you couldn't!  No sane person would ever push away a man so _**enticing~.**_

You accepted your fate the moment he yawned in your ear and tried to ignore the sweat that made you feel like a sinner in church.  It wasn't so bad being Zoro's personal body pillow...  At least you got to rub against him before the exhaustion set back in.  He even gave you a rumble of approval when you kissed his chin then buried his face in your hair.  Nope, this wasn't bad at all.

Maybe now you both could get a few more hours in before going to _Viola's_.

_CRAAASH!!!_

One can dream.

 

~~~

 

"You passed it."

"I know I passed it."  You waited a moment before merging into the next lane.

"Then why did you?" Zoro asked curtly.

You took a deep breath and tapped the steering wheel, head pounding from being woken up FOUR times last night.  

"I didn't _mean_ to, Zoro."

Displeasure passed through the bond and you saw his upper lip curl into a snarl when he looked at you, "Don't snap at me."

"I'm not _**snapping**_ at you!"  Your hands were now clenched so tight that the wheel creaked beneath your grip.  "You're the one being a jerk!"

The container in Zoro's lap cackled, CB looking quite happy to watch you both rip each others throats out.  Clacking his pointed teeth, he started to stomp in a weird little dance until your boyfriend shook the thing ferociously.

"Shut up!!"

CB wobbled, stubby little legs scrambling to stay upright as Zoro rattled his plastic prison.  Once the 'earthquake' was over, it gave you both bitter snaps with it's fangs before crumbling into a pile of sand, forcing the both of you to sit in uncomfortable silence with nothing to yell at but each other.  But Zoro was already done with it all.  You felt his irritation lash out as he pushed the Tupperware to the floorboard and cross his arms.  He didn't want to talk or fight anymore, he just wanted to stare out his window and sulk while you both experienced the worst migraine in existence.

"Zoro..."

He didn't look at you, his gaze focused solely on the outside world.  You looked at his reflection and noted the dark half circles under his eyes were a stormy grey, much like his current mood.  His hair was a mess too, bushy like someone's unkempt lawn where the tufts of soft strands ruffled this way and that.  You had to resist the urge to comb your hand through it and opted to rub your own eyes instead.

"Zoro," your voice cracked and you had to take a deep breath.  "I'm sorry.  I'm just so tired..."

His brow un-furrowed as he leaned his head against the window.

"You don't have to apologize.  We're both tired."

You grew relieved at the sound of his apologetic voice, soft and assuring.  Even his end of the bond felt this way, brushing and sliding over you with the subtlety of rich, silk sheets.  Though the wolf still looked irritated and tired, it was nice to know he didn't feel that way about you.  You enjoyed the caress of love, trust, and-

"You passed it again."

"Damn it!!"

Zoro's gentle reassurance turned into warm amusement as you performed an illegal u-turn, his smirk only growing as you drove right over a curve.  You parked and immediately pointed a finger at him.  He stared with a half grin while you slowly edged out of the car, your digit brandished in warning that if he uttered _anything_ about your driving, then there would be dire consequences.

He was so tempted too - you could see it in his dumb, sexy face!

But while you were pointing at him, he was jutting his thumb towards the line of shops.  You blinked, looked over and gasped.

_Viola's_ shop window was dim, just as it'd been everyday you drove here.  Once bright and vibrant crystals now hung dully on display, not even catching what little bit of sun that peeked through dark clouds.  Jars full of questionable ingredients remained untouched while a white sign labeled 'Closed' in big red lettering leaned up against the display window in a mocking fashion.  You wanted to scream and pull out your hair, but opted to slump face-down in the car and groan.

"Uuuuuuuuuuggggggggghhhhhhhhhhh."

Zoro stroked the back of your head while you wallowed in your horrible, no-good, very bad luck.

"I can't take another night with him, Zoro!  I just can't!"

He slid a finger down the back of your neck in a lazy fashion.  "I'll take care of it."

You paused, then looked up.  "You mean, like...kill him?"

The container in the floorboard went into a rattled frenzy and Zoro placed his heel on top to keep it still.

"I don't think anyone can kill a curse."  He shrugged then crossed his arms,  "Just let me worry about it."

You blinked curiously before sitting up properly, goofy grin now plastered on your face.

"Sure thing, boss."  You put on your best mobster accent.  "You'll show him.  No one messes with the pack."

Zoro pinched your cheek and tugged, "Stop that."

You grinned, managing to shout out a garbled 'Never!' as you started the car.  Zoro's confidence in how to deal with CB put you in a much better mood, and you couldn't help but act silly as you pulled out of the parking lot.  You were going to go home, take off your bra, and have a huge meal before passing out.

Hmmm, all this mafia talk made you want spaghetti...

Somehow, that seemed oddly important.

 

~~~

 

"You look horrible."

You twitched and stabbed the straw through your juice box.  "Thanks."

"No really!"  Maddy grinned and plopped down in one of the break room chairs, "You should go home and get some rest."

Her smile irked you, but you knew she meant well.  

"Sleep is a luxury I can't afford."

It wasn't like you hadn't napped all day yesterday; just that those extra hours couldn't make up those long, rough nights with CB trying to escape.  Thankfully he was locked away in the trunk of your car - with extra bindings, courtesy of Zoro - but you still had bills to pay and a shattered window to fix.  Sleep will have to come second if you didn't want anything else slipping inside at night...

"Aw, trouble at home?  Boyfriend keeping you up?"

You gave Maddy a dirty look and she laughed, her chair scraping loudly across the floor as she moved closer.  Apprehensive, you sipped your juice and eyed her.

"Is work that slow that you feel the need to bug me?"

She scowled and nudged your arm, "I'm trying to give you some good news."

"Oh?"  Somehow, you didn't believe her...

"You can go home.  Boss says there's no point keeping you here when there's nothing to do."

"No, I have to stay.  I need-"

Maddy pinched your cheek just like Zoro had yesterday and pulled.  "Go home, you idiot.  You're still getting paid."

Paid time off?  Knowing your manager, this was his idea of making things right for almost being crushed by a light fixture.  He even seemed to think your fatigue was some lasting effect from it too, going as far as to buy you snacks, water, and urging you to take more breaks.  The poor guy was so frazzled that you couldn't help but feel guilty.

But not enough to turn down a paid day off.

"I guess it's okay..." 

Maddy huffed, "Good.  Just looking at you makes me tired."

"I have such _great_ friends,"  you smirked.  Then she pinched you again.

"Shut up and go already!"

You batted at her playfully and left the break room, noting that it really was dead on the floor.  There were no customers walking around buying things and your other coworkers seemed to be watching some sports game on the flat screens.  They cheered loudly when you passed by, but was more curious about one of the more responsible workers talking to someone by the front doors.

"-and it continued to bang around, so I thought I'd come in here to tell you."

"Do you know which car it was, ma'am?"

"Oh...Um," the woman tried to peer out the entrance, but it was raining so heavily that most the cars looked like boxed blobs.  "I think it was...beige?  Maybe gold..."

You faltered and strained your ears in hope of catching more of the conversation.

"Okay, and you said there was....?"

"Something in the trunk-"

_**ANNNNNND**_ that was your cue to leave!!  The last thing you needed was a bunch of police breaking into your car because of a misunderstanding.  

You sure hoped power walking out didn't make you look suspicious...

 

~~~

 

You were a sucker for punishment.

While everyone was at home, dry, comfortable, and relaxed; you were stuck outside where the streets flooded with rainwater and the sky remained it's somber self.  As the visibility lessened from harsh winds and a dreadful downpour, you imagined being back in your warm apartment, wearing your coziest pajamas, sipping hot chocolate, and snuggled up with Zoro.  You'd both listen to the rain in relative comfort and maybe talk about silly things, like a normal couple.  And when that became boring, Zoro would wrap his arms around you, bury his face in your neck and inhale; just like always.  You'd smile and the day would end with you both napping in each others' arms, happy and without worry.

But, you didn't get any of that.  No comfy pajamas to squirm into, no hot chocolate to burn your tongue; not even a chance to snuggle up with your dreamy boyfriend.  Instead, you were being a big, dumb, responsible adult.  Responsible enough to ignore the wish to go home and responsible enough to know CB couldn't live in your trunk forever.  

_THUMP!  THUMP!!  THUMP!!!_

Not that you wanted him in there.

"Please be open.  Please be open."

You ignored the eruption of muffled thuds from the back and turned up the radio.  If you couldn't hear it, then it didn't exist, right?

_THUMP!!  THUMP!!!_

"Please be open.  Please, please, _**please**_ be open!"

You kept an eye out for the row of outlet shops after exiting the highway and merged into the left lane.  Though the rain was finally letting up, a fog was starting to set in like a spooky horror movie.  It was getting so bad that you almost missed the entrance to the damn parking lot (again).

_THUMP!!  THUMP!!!_

Of course, that wasn't helping.

_THUMP!THUMP!!THUMP!!THUMP!!!THUMP!_

"Holy shit, shut up!!"

You parked as close as you could to the shop and studied it closely, the rain and fog making it hard for you to see through your windshield wipers.  But you didn't need to see if anyone was there, just a light in the window will be enough.

_THUMP!!  THUMP!_

Then, as if fate had finally taken pity on you, you saw it.  Bright yellow shined through the fog like a lone lighthouse, leaving you elated at it's welcoming sight.  The hanging crystals glittered in a rainbow of colors while the dreaded 'Closed' sign turned around to read 'Open'.  

"It's open..."  You would've cried tears of joy, but decided to fumble with your seatbelt instead.  "It's open!!"

You jumped out of the car then back in, grabbing your keys from the ignition along with your purse before scurrying to the trunk and flinging it open.  Inside was CB in his Tupperware, bouncing and thrashing about, but otherwise still trapped inside.  You stared hard at it and sighed, noting that Zoro's idea of 'taking care of it' meant wrapping the container up in layers of duct tape and rope.

"Geeze," you face palmed.  But, you couldn't really fault him, CB _is_ still trapped.

The plastic box rattled and thrashed as the alligator thrusted himself against the sides, but it wasn't enough to stop you from grabbing and tucking it under your arm.  He even hissed as you ignored him and shut the truck, then he collapsed into sand the instant rain pelted the sides.  

You smirked, "Not so tough now, are you?"

He snarled and formed little legs to claw at his prison, but it did nothing but make you laugh mockingly all the way to the entrance.  His feeble attempts only made you happier as you moved under the shade of the store where it was dry.  You brushed back tendrils of wet hair from your forehead and took this peaceful moment for yourself.  

You were going to be free soon.  Free to sleep, free to relax.  Free to play with Zoro~.

The bell over the entrance chimed and you stared as someone walked out, startled to see a familiar face.

"Sanji?"

He turned, looking equally surprised at running into you outside a magic shop.  You were also caught off guard by his appearance, which was more disheveled then when you last saw him, but no less classy.  His hair was slightly damp from rain, looking more like an almond creme then the supple honey you'd grown used to.  It was longer too, his bangs tickling his cheeks while the rest was midway up in a ponytail.  You could see little strands escaping near the scruff of his neck, but it gave him a more roguish look, especially with the scruffier goatee.

He looked good.   _Really_ good.

"________..."  He closed the shop door and blinked at you.  "What are you doing here?"

You stared into his baby-blue eyes and swallowed.  Were they always that pretty?

"________?"

"Huh?"  You blinked, unaware you'd been gawking.  "Sorry, what?"

Sanji smiled, "Tired?"

His smile was so nice that you blushed and giggled like a school girl.  Why did he always make you feel goofy when looking at him!?  J-Just think of Zoro, that fixed everything!

"I-I might be..."  You smiled nervously but added nothing else to the conversation while Sanji stared patiently.  

But you didn't really know what to say.  

The last time you saw him was in his car where you rudely pointed out he wanted to be invisible.  Not only did you embarrass him, but you probably hit a real sore spot and made him feel horrible about himself.  Sanji was a great, caring guy and you hurt him!  You wouldn't blame him if he wanted to leave and never look back.

Just recalling the memory made you tense with nervous energy.  Your throat felt so dry that no amount of swallowing would relieve you of the itch and even the sound of rainfall made you restless.  It just kept getting louder and louder by the passing second and you weren't sure if you could take it!!

Damn it!!  You should apologize!  Just say it!  Say it, say it, say it!

"Ah, well..."  He rubbed the back of his head with a equally awkward grin.  "I guess I better get going-"

_**No!!** _

"Sanji!!"  You took a hasty step forward and just let it all out.  " _I'mreallysorrypleasedon'tbemadIdidn'tmeananyofit!!_ "

"W-What?"  He looked so confused and you couldn't blame him.  Your apology sucked!!

You gripped the Tupperware tight and took a deep, deep breath.  "I'm _**so**_ sorry.  Back in your car...  What I said was unacceptable!"

"You mean that time...?"  Sanji's eyes sparkled with recollection, "______, you didn't do anything wrong."

"But I..."  You looked at him with guilt ridden eyes, unable to shake this awful feeling.

Sanji saw this and gave you a smile so bright that you were reminded of sunshine.  Your chest grew warm like a thousand scented candles, all your favorite smells mingling together in soothing harmony.  It made your body relax and that awful feeling turned into something fluttery.  The feeling was suspiciously close to what you felt with Zoro except it wasn't anything like the bond.  It had a different...texture to it.  

Instead of the thick ribbons that wrapped sensually around your body with each pluck from Zoro's end, this was more like caressing flame.  You felt like your blood was on fire, licking beneath your skin ever so gently as you suppressed the urge to rock on your heels.

"_______."

Shit!  Were you gawking again?!  What the hell was wrong with you!?

"You have nothing to apologize for."  

He stepped closer and you craned your neck to stare at him, the wild fire growing hotter the closer he got. You were about to take a cautious step back, but froze when he grabbed your hand and got down on one knee.  The sight surprised you so much that you almost didn't notice the goofy smile or the hearts practically dancing across his eyes. 

"A real man is someone who forgives a woman for anything!!"

...Huh?

Sanji threw an arm in the air dramatically, "Whether it loving whispers or death threats - I welcome it all if I can only hear your exquisite voice~!"

You half expected him to suddenly present a red rose then proclaim his undying love, this situation seemed to be leaning that way...  Though, you couldn't help but laugh about the whole thing.  Here was this goofy guy kneeling down in a puddle of water, spewing romantic words like an idiot and you thought he was still mad at you?  Sanji had the silliest ways of making people feel better.

"You're so weird!"  You grinned and gave his hand a light squeeze before pulling away.

Sanji chuckled and stood back up, hands in his pockets as he looked down at you.  "I'm glad you're feeling better.  I hate to see you so sad."

You blushed and stuttered out a thank you, unaware that Sanji was now studying the plastic container tucked tight under your arm.

"What's that?"

Blinking, you looked down at the Tupperware then quickly gestured towards _Viola's_.  "O-Oh!  I'm just, uh, dropping this off."

"Oh?"  Sanji pulled out a cigarette and lit it, amusement on his face.  "What is it?  A haunted sand castle?"

You swallowed and laughed nervously, fumbling with the container and hoping he didn't see CB.  "Oh, well...Y'know!  My zen garden decided to turn into a sin garden."

The blonde snorted at your horrible joke, almost dropping his lighter on the ground but quickly enough to fumble it back into his pocket.  You grinned, but then thought of something curious.

"What about you?  What are you doing here, Sanji?"

"M-Me?!"  He blushed furiously while his eyes flicked back and forth from you then to the shop window.  "I-I-!  Well-!!"

You glanced over to see what he was looking and noticed Viola cleaning the countertop, oblivious to the two of you standing just outside.  Everything clicked at that moment and you couldn't help but give Sanji a sly look.

"She's _very_ pretty~."

Sanji's eyes immediately turned into giant pink hearts at the mention of the shopkeeper, his hands clasped tight as he started to wiggle and flail like a dancing caterpillar.

" _Mademoiselle_ Viola is so beautiful~!"  His voice went a pitch higher and he swayed on his feet.  "A lowly worm like me isn't worthy of her time!"

You watched as he swooned, feeling a bit awkward seeing someone other then you acting like a lovesick pervert.  Then he suddenly pulled out a tiny vial with clear liquid swishing inside, looking even more lovestruck as he waved it around.  

"She works her delicate hands to the bone to make such wonderful potions for me!"

"Oh?"  You briefly wondered if he even believed in magic - Sanji didn't really seem the type.  Maybe he bought things as an excuse to visit Viola? 

"What does it do?"

He stopped wiggling and shook the vial between his fingers.  "It's for good luck."

"Oh man," You laughed and ran a hand through your hair.  "I could use some of that!"

Sanji's eyes widened and he grabbed your hand again, his sunshine smile back on his face and making you feel warm all over again.  "I'll share some with you."

You blushed, his long fingers brushing over your wrist where your pulse felt electrified.  "N-No, you don't have to-"

"I insist."  He stubbed out his cigarette then opened the vial, clear liquid threatening to spill and slide down the glass.

You were helpless to his touch when he held your hand, his digits carefully dabbing some of the elixir onto your wrist like it was expensive perfume.  Sanji even used his thumb to rub gentle circles into your skin and making it hard to concentrate.

"Viola promises it keeps all evil away," he said softly.  "It'll keep you safe too."

You frowned, "Really?"

Sanji's lips curved upwards into a smile while his fingers remained pressed on your pulse.  You didn't feel that same intensity as before - the sensual heat that licked and kissed your skin until you were dazed and weak in the knees.  Instead you felt cold and wet, the rainfall suddenly more apparent without that warmth in your chest or the flush on your cheeks.  His fingers felt lifeless against your skin now, and you grew worried when he whispered in a frail, melancholy tone.

"Yes."

His eyes narrowed and he bit his bottom lip as he gave your wrist one last rub for good measure.

"I'm _**sure**_ of it."

 

 


	29. Part 1 of 2

You laughed.  A long and hallow sound that made your head so dizzy, that you had to brace the counter top just to get a hold of yourself.  Salt splashed against the back of your throat while you struggled to fight off the bubbling nausea that popped as soon as it reached your chest.  Angry tears threatened to spill over, but you managed to hold back your mental breakdown; crying wasn't going to make you feel any better.

But just...why?

Why was this happening?  Why was it when you finally see a glimmer of hope, it was pulled out of reach?

Why did your life suck so _**hard!?**_

Maybe you heard wrong...  Maybe you gawked at Sanji for so long, that your ears were waterlogged.

"I'm sorry."  You wrenched your mouth into a smile.  "I didn't quite catch that."

Tapping the lid of the plastic container, you slowly inched it onto Viola's side.  She looked anything but amused as she eyed it, her lips pressed into a thin, tight line before she pushed CB back to your side.

"I said, I can't break your curse.  You'll have to find another way to deal with it."

Again, you slid the Tupperware to her as your smile twisted into a desperate scowl.  "You have to have something that can get rid of it."

"No."  Her eyes were steel as she pushed the creature back to you.  "Curses can only be broken by a specific set of rules - rules only the caster would know."  

"But...But!!!"  You fumbled with the container,  "That's stupid!!  You have to do  _something!!_ "

You tossed it at her this time, the plastic going airborne like a hot potato while CB tumbled inside.  Viola reacted immediately, catching the Tupperware with little difficulty before she realized she was holding it again.

"I'm not a witch, nor am I a miracle worker!"  Viola, now fed up, forced the container into your arms and shot you a look that longed for the ability to curse someone.  "I'm sorry, but I can't do anything for you."

Her words rang in your ears like an un-tuned piano, it's harsh tone making you want to shrink away.  You had to dig your fingers into the little tub to try and fight off the defeat those words brought; all your worries of being stuck with this thing forever, the misery it brought to your relationship with Zoro, and the restless nights that made you want to scream.

You swallowed hard.  You were tired, extremely upset, and done.  God, you were so _**fucking**_ done.  

"W-What if I sell it to you?!"

Her face scrunched up and you quickly revised your offer.

"For free!!  I'll give it to you for free!!"

Just get it out of your life!!  Take this little bastard away so you never had to see it ever again!

The dim, amber lighting in the room made it hard to read Viola's exact expression, but you could tell she was irritated.  Not even the spice of burning incense or the tinkling of her hanging crystals could keep the mood calm and collected.  Clocks ticked along and one of them produced a coo-coo bird who popped out and whistled a little song before going back into it's little cubby.

Viola took a deep breath then gestured all around her.  "Everything I sell is bewitched with weak and powerful spells.  Some are charms meant to help, others are curses."

You frowned, suddenly hesitant to touch anything in the shop as you edged closer to the counter.

"I recycle them so they can to be used again.  One person may want to do well in their job interview," she pointed to a classy pair of cufflinks.  "Or they want their kitchen floor to stay clean longer-"

One of the brooms in the corner swiftly came to life and started to sweep the entire shop, bumping into cabinets and rattling china before knocking over a tiny teapot that whistled almost angrily at it.  It was energetic and lively as it made it's way towards you, practically begging to be bought despite your obvious discomfort.  You finally had enough of it sweeping your feet before shooing it away.  But this only led to a sharp smack in the elbow by it's handle before it sashayed it's way back to the corner.

"Ow..."  You rubbed your arm while Viola clicked her tongue before continuing where she left off.

"Objects are simple.  They can be retooled and are easier to manage then a sentient creature."

The broom in the corner bristled and started knocking over it's brethren in anger.  Viola immediately slammed her hand on the counter and sent the item a withering glare.

"And you wonder why people don't keep you!?!"

You stared in astonishment as the broom froze up and quietly lay against the wall while Viola glowered at it.  It didn't move anymore after that, but she didn't take her eyes off it until you cleared your throat.  Blushing, Viola quickly realized how silly it must look to be yelling at a broom and quickly tried to brush it off.

"A-As you can see," She smoothed down her skirts and pressed her lips together.  "I do not enjoy stocking my shop with living spells."

Then...that's it.  You were stuck with this little monster until it accomplished it's mission or you died from this awful migraine.

Neither sounded like a good way to go out.

Your shoulders slumped with defeat as you came to realize there was no way to fix this.  Viola wouldn't buy it, Zoro didn't know how to kill it, and you were just some useless human who was in way over their head.

Damn...  Damn.  Damn!   _Damn!!!_  

Viola was quick to notice your downtrodden state and apologized again, but you waved her off.

"No, it's okay."  You wanted to lay on the floor and die.  "I'll...I'll find another way."

But you had no experience with magic or knew anyone who did.  You didn't know curses, spells, or rituals and you certainly didn't learn about it in college!  Never have you felt so lost in a subject matter and not have some kind of book to explain it all.  It was like stepping into a whole other world with a whole different set of strange rules and laws, and none of it made any sense!  Hell, you barely understood the bond!!  How were you supposed to deal with this?!

Giving up every sense of dignity you had, you plopped your head on the counter and groaned.  Then, when that wasn't enough, you smacked your forehead on the surface over and over and over and over-

There was a hesitant tap on your shoulder and you looked up to see Viola stare at you with pity.  _UGH!_  You were pathetic!

"Listen..."  She bit her lower lip, a reluctant glimmer in her eyes.  "Perhaps I can get in contact with one of my colleagues.  They may a thing or two about this."

Your heart skipped a beat and you swallowed hard.  "R-Really?"

She was hesitant again as she bit down on the tip of her thumb in thought, but it was too late to turn back now.

  
"Yes.  I can ask them to come here, but I can only hold onto him for a few days-"

In a flurry of motion, you jumped OVER the counter and gave her a gigantic, back-breaking hug.  This threw her for a loop and you could tell she regretted the suggestion.  It didn't help that CB was thrashing again, somehow understanding that he wasn't going home with you. 

"Thank you!  Thank you!!  Thank you!!!"  You sniffled, as if about to cry.  "You don't know how **MUCH** this means to me!!!"

Viola awkwardly pushed your body away and gasped.  "Y-Yes, okay!  Let go, please!"

Laughing, you pulled back and looked about ready to run away (no take backs, damn it!), when Viola stuck out her hand and gave you an icy glare.

"E-Eh?"  

"I require a personal item as payment."

 

~~~

 

You hummed happily as you parked the car and pulled the key from the ignition, one less precious trinket hanging from it's ring.  But that's okay, it was enough to get CB off your hands for a while.  There were no more loud, inappropriate hisses, incessant digging of prickly claws into plastic, and destruction of your precious apartment.  Just peace and quiet with Zoro and you.  All alone.

Oh yes, all _alone~!_

A grin spread across your face and you couldn't help but feel giddy.  Though it was a temporary fix, Zoro was bound to be super proud of you and thank you with a thousand hugs, a million kisses, and all the sexy time.

"Heh heh," a blush colored your cheeks and your smile turned positively perverted.

You could already imagine his powerful arms wrap around your waist, his breath hot on your ear, then the rumble in his voice when he told you how much he loved you.  Shivers would rush down your spine and you'd swoon before replying back in the most dramatic way possible.  Zoro would be overcome with such ~~lust~~ love for you, that he'd ravage your mouth with an amazing kiss that would put all romance novels to shame!

Then things would get much more interesting~.

You almost tripped up the steps to the third floor when your mind went into naughtier territory.  

 _Shit._

J-Just focus on how to make your story sound cooler!!  Don't think about how he'd give in to his powerful urge to push you against the wall, then hook your leg over his deliciously, firm hip-

"Ah!"  Your eyes widened when you felt something drip out of your nose and quickly pulled out a compact mirror.  "Holy crap!"

It's official, you've reached a new level of perverted-ness!  Now you were having nosebleeds because of your dorky boyfriend!!  Why did he have to be so sexy!?

You reached into your purse and grabbed a napkin, cleaning up the red drop that had slowly made it's way towards your lips.  Your reflection glared back at you and you muttered angrily under your breath about controlling yourself - especially since Zoro felt almost EVERYTHING you did.  The least you could do was act like a normal person instead of a nymphomaniac.

Geez, you were just as bad as Sanji.

The thought made you frown as you stared at your tiny reflection, thinking back to your run in with the blonde and how odd he had acted before leaving.  It'd been so strange to run into him outside a magic shop.  Sanji didn't seem the type to believe in that sort of thing, but there he was, grinning and acting like it was a normal thing.  Then the thing with his "Good Luck" potion; he'd been so eager on sharing, but so somber when applying it.

Your wrist tingled and you closed the compact mirror with a snap, briefly wondering if Sanji really _**was**_ something other then human.

It had crossed your mind more then once today, especially after Viola's peculiar behavior before you left...

 

 _You reluctantly dropped the key chain in Viola's hand, silently thanking the plastic "Lilo and Stitch" for the years of extraordinary service.  It seemed enough for Viola - though, the exchange was more as a favor then for the value of the item.  The item was useless._

 _...Right?_

 _Actually, you rather not know.  Better to just leave it alone and hope it never comes back to bite you in the ass._

 _"How...do you know Sanji?"_

 _You stopped your musing to look at her, "Huh?"_

 _Viola's expression was pained and full of worry as she picked CB up, not appearing to notice his thrashes of anger at being left behind.  She spoke again, though her voice was much steadier._

 _"How do you know Sanji Vinsmoke?"_

 _Her stance had become small and withdrawn, shoulders stiff, but brittle like a tree branch that shook in the softest of winds.  You grew uneasy as her eyes became vacant and wondered if you offended her somehow._

 _"Um, well...  I met him a few times."  You tugged the hem of your shirt anxiously.  "I-I think he's a good guy."_

 _Relief flooded her body and the color returned to her olive skin, yet her gaze still had that blank eeriness to it.  You swallowed hard and gave her a wary smile as you edged towards the door._

 _"W-Well, it was nice seeing you.  Thank you again for taking-"_

 _Her eyes snapped at you like a ruthless viper and you froze._

 _"Sanji is a great man.  I owe him much for his kindness..."_

 _You nodded hastily and backed towards the exit, growing more and more antsy by the second._

 _"If you ever hurt him," her eyes flashed venomously and you jumped in surprise when some of the items in the shop started to shudder.  "I will find you.  I will deal with you, and you **will** be sorry."_

 _EEP!!_

 _"Y-Yes ma'am!!"  You saluted stiffly and hurried out of the shop.  "Of course, ma'am!!"_

 _You didn't dare look behind you as you ran to your car._

 _No way in hell were you going stick around long enough to get another curse!!_

 

You shivered and unlocked your apartment door.

Note to self, don't piss off a witch (even if they claim not to be one).

 _SNNNNRK!_

You stopped and immediately looked to your left, eyes landing on the back of the couch where one foot was propped on the armrest and another stretched out on the floor.  It didn't take long before another _SNNNNRK!_ sounded out and you realized a certain someone was taking their afternoon nap.  You grinned and tip toed you way to look over the back of the sofa - giddy to see your boyfriend sprawled awkwardly out across the cushions.  His mouth opened and closed momentarily before growing wide to release another snore.  Seeing this made it particularly hard not to smoosh your cheeks together and go _'aww'_.

Just like his leg, one arm hung off the side of the couch, limp and useless while the other was used as padding for his head.  You saw the pillows on the floor and snickered, knowing Zoro had knocked them off by accident and didn't feel bothered to pick them up.

He was wearing the same thing from last night (the bum), a pair of loose shorts and a plain, navy tee that hugged his body in all the right places.  You spotted every bulge of muscle you loved to grope, rub, and kiss, then melted at the idea of resting your head on his chest as it rose and fell.  You sighed and imagined the sound of his heartbeat, listening to his deep breaths and feeling his body heat warm up your cheeks.

 _ **Ba-bump!  Ba-bump!  Ba-bump!**_

You had to fight off flustered giggles by tearing your eyes from Zoro's body and to his face before your sexual frustration got the better of you.

At least CB was gone - now you had the chance to spend time with Zoro without interruption.

A smile graced your lips at the thought and you reached out to trace a finger along his cheek.  It was smooth beneath your finger, but strong as you ran your digit along his jawline and up towards his scar.  You brushed over the mark that started from his forehead and ended at the cheekbone, always surprised to find how thin and neat it was.  Zoro never told you how he had gotten it, but you knew he wasn't ashamed of it.  No doubt it was a fascinating story for another day, but that didn't stop you from imagining all the kick ass fights the wolf may have gotten it from.

He started to stir when you moved to tangle your fingers in his hair, petting and brushing at the soft locks in envy.  You watched his lips curve into a tiny smile, his once limp arm now reaching up to grab your hand and bring it to his lips for a kiss.  Zoro's mouth pressed lightly against your palm, tickling your knuckles with his hot breath before he brought it to his mouth for a light nibble.  You bit your lower lip and leaned further over the couch, cheeks flush and heart fluttering in anticipation when you felt the tip of his fangs caress your inner wrist.  

His nose twitched once...twice...  Then his skin grew pale before his eye flew wide open in shock.  Disgust flashed across his face before he gagged, his body curling up and falling off the couch with a loud thump.  Zoro retched and punched at the floor before stumbling up, his stance wobbly like a drunkard as he let out loud, rasping coughs.

"Wh-What the hell is that _SMELL!?!_ "

"Ah..."  You sniffed your wrist, "So it does make 'evil' things go away..."

Zoro snarled and spun around to glare at you, hand covering both his nose and mouth in an effort to block out the odor.  

"It's disgusting!!!"

"Oh come on," you laughed.  

Zoro backed up against the wall as soon as you made it around the couch.  Annoyance prickled at your chest, but you kept your humorous smile.  "I don't even _smell_ anything!"

"It's not funny!!"

You frowned and took a whiff at your wrist again.  Nothing.

"Is it really that bad?"

"Yes!!"  Zoro edged towards the hallway.  "Why do you smell like a rotting corpse!?!"

Annoyance quickly turned into angry embarrassment as you tried to smother the scent in your shirt.  "I-I do not!!!"

Was this the effect of Sanji's potion?  To make a poor, beautiful girl like you stink to high heaven???  If so, you didn't like it!  Plus it was a bit underwhelming.  Instead of some big spell that protected people from evil spirits or nasty demons, it just...smelled bad.  Lovely.

You gave your hand another sniff then took a step forward.  "Zoro, I really don't think-"

" _HRK!!_ "

Face now a sickly color, Zoro scrambled sideways along the wall and into the hallway where he could be as far away as possible.  The sight would have been ridiculous if it wasn't so serious.  You could only blink and smell your wrist again.

Nothing.   _ **Again.**_

"Fine, you big baby!!"  

You just wanted to get laid!!  Why did everything have to suck?!

Huffing and puffing all the way to the the bathroom, you grabbed everything you could with a scent and washed your hands like a doctor preparing for surgery.  You attacked with bar and liquid soap, lotion, and fruity body wash until your wrists were raw from chemicals and scalding hot water.  It was a wonder you hadn't started to bleed from the way you scraped away like a madwoman.

But not just because you were angry; but because you were focused on the questions rattling around inside your head.  Like this crazy, weird scent!  It wasn't the first time Zoro's nose had caught something strange, and he had said the same thing after visiting Baratie with your mom.  The wolf had said you smelled for no reason, so it was only logical that some had rubbed off on you during the ride home with Sanji.  It was probably **everywhere** in his car.

It had to be the same scent - why else would Zoro be going nuts again?!  


The only difference this time was that he wasn't pushing you up against a wall and demanding you to get rid of it between hot, steamy kisses.

You scrubbed your wrists in fury and cursed your luck.  

"Damn it, why couldn't it be like last time!?!"

Another question that you didn't have a clear answer for was whether if Sanji was human or some sort of supernatural creature.  This potion hid him from the monster living in the city (at least ones with sensitive noses), but did it mean that he was hiding because he was afraid of being it's next meal or because he was a monster like it?

Was the monster Crocodile?  A witch with an attitude and a sadistic need to pick on innocent people?  It seemed like he was behind all this, going after Zoro, attacking you with curses.  Sanji knew him too - though it was anything but friendly by the way they acted at Baratie...  Did Crocodile know what Sanji was and vice versa?  Were they enemies?  Allies?

Ugh, none of it explained anything!  You felt like you were in the middle of a game of Battleship where you couldn't land a single hit because the other player was cheating.  It was so damn frustrating!

Fed up - you threw your hand town in the sink and yanked open the bathroom door where a sturdy wall of muscle was waiting.  Zoro had his arms crossed and wore his usual grumpy look; a twitchy upper lip, a peeking fang, and a brow so furrowed it was amazing that it didn't get stuck in place.  You felt his end of the bond pulse in anger, irritation, worry...

Whatever!  You held up your wrists and glared right back.  

"I'm clean!  Happy now?!"

He certainly didn't look happy.

"Tch!"  

Zoro snatched your forearms and pulled, your forms bumping together until your chests were pressed close enough to immediately make you dizzy.  Hot fire rolled down your shoulders and back like slow, tracing fingers as his body heat overcame yours.  You felt a flush of warmth when his face got closer, his stern lips begging to be kissed before you became lost in a stupor.  

You found yourself impossibly close to him now, wanting, _wishing_ to kiss him until you had nothing left in you.

"Zoro..."  You leaned in, but stilled when he brought your hand to his nose to sniff it.

A swell of indignation came over you and you threw romance out the window.

"Bastard!"  

You gave a twist and turn, but failed as Zoro pushed you up against the doorframe.  A brush between your legs told you he had slipped one of his between them before lifting you up off the ground.  With no leverage, you could only struggle and snap wildly as he continued to do what he pleased.

It would have been hot if you were so flippin' mad!!

"You ass!  I told you-!"

He placed a soft, tender kiss on the inside of your wrist and caused a ripple of electricity to shoot down your arm.  You felt your knees grow weak and quickly leaned against the door frame to keep calm and collected.

"Z-Zoro..."

The tips of his fangs brushed over the sensitive area before he gave it another kiss, your nerves now lighting up like firecrackers on the fourth of July.  You swallowed, whimpered, then swallowed again when Zoro buried his nose into your palm and inhaled deeply.  

He was driving you insane~.

"You still smell awful."

HE WAS DRIVING YOU INSANE!!!

"Asshole!!  Jerk!!  SLUG!!"  You went back to struggling and kicking, "I hope your nose falls off!!"

 

~~~

 

Freezing wind slapped you hard across the face the moment you opened the front door.  It swirled in like an unwelcome guest and took the opportunity to knock over a few knick knacks, rattle the windows, and ruffle your dress until your bare legs were prickly from the cold.  Teeth chattering and shoulders hunched, you tucked your hands beneath your armpits and whined.

"W-What the hell!?  It was beautiful yesterday!"

Zoro zipped up his coat, "Go change if you're cold."

You tried to glare at him, but your face was already frozen.  "It's Sp-Spring!  I sp-spent an hour p-picking these clothes out!"

Now he was looking at you like you were an idiot.  "It's twenty degrees."

You scowled and began fumbling with your keys,  "St-stupid Kentucky weather..."

The wolf rolled his eyes while you closed the door and shuffled your poor, frigid body towards the stairwell.  Along the way, you were attacked by one strong gust after another, each one more unbearable then the last.  You felt like you were wearing a paper sack at this point, the fat lot of good your thin jacket, blouse, and (super adorable) skirt did you.

Yeah, you could bundle up in a giant sweater or a scarf, but the bakery was right across the street and you planned to be quick.  Just in and out with a bag of donuts and a hot coffee to have at home while snuggling on the couch with your equally hot boyfriend. 

Plus, it'd be a sin not to show off your sexy bod.  All those weeks training with Zoro were finally paying off; toned legs, rocking abs, yummy butt, the works!  You felt super self-confident and no cold weather was going to stop that!  

Unfortunately, confidence doesn't keep the cold from needling into your skin until you were numb from head to toe.

"G-Good try wind," you hissed.  "I'm going to st-stuff my face and look cute doing it!"

Zoro looked exasperated, "We still have time to turn back."

"Like hell!"  You started to shuffle faster and latched onto the handrail.  "I'm already at the stairs!!"

You put some hustle in your footwork as you made it downstairs, each step reminding you that this was the stupidest thing you've done (today).

"Hurry up, Zoro!"

You could imagine his eye roll as you went as fast you could down the stairs, but was too stubborn to stop.  All you had on your mind was getting your breakfast as quick as possible, not if your legs were going to freeze or if your fingers were about to fall off.

"D-Donuts plus coffee-" you muttered on the last step.  "-Equals ha-happiness."

A blast of wind caught you off guard and forced you to cross your arms and hunch over with clattering teeth. 

"O-O-Or h-hot chocolate!  Su-super hot ch-chocolate!"

"For breakfast?"  Zoro asked as he caught up.  He didn't look the least bit cold in his jacket and jeans, so much so that you ended up snaking your arms around one of his for warmth.

"Y-Yes!"  You tried to absorb as much as you could by burying your face into his arm.  "With wh-whipped cream!"

He let out a low snort, but didn't try to talk you out of it.  The run he planned for later in the day would see to that.  

Zoro, realizing you weren't going to let go anytime soon, continued his trek to the bakery with you stumbling and clinging the whole way.  It was a hassle to hold on, but your fingers were already frozen in place and your face had found it's home in his warm, sexy bicep.  You even held on tighter when you both made it to the crosswalk, but the wolf didn't seem to mind; you were the one tripping over your feet, not him.  

"Mmmm," you gave his arm a little nuzzle with your nose.  "You smell good."

The light turned red and he looked both ways before crossing.  "I wish I could say the same for you."

You shot him a glare before you realized he was teasing.  "I don't smell!!"

"Then stop letting strangers spray you with weird shit," he smirked.

 _Grrrr!_

"I trust Sanji!"

Zoro's playful grin quickly fell into a thin line as he gave you a sideways glance.  

"You barely know him."

"So?"

You felt the burst of irritation from Zoro before it showed on his face.

"He might not be human."

You pursed your lips, "You're not human."

"That's different," he said with a wave of his hand.  "You know me."

Now you were getting irritated; so much so that you almost tripped over the sidewalk when you arrived at the other side.

"I know Sanji!" 

The wolf gave you a stern look and you stuck your tongue out at him.  

He sighed in exasperation, "Tell me one thing you know about him."

"Ha!  Easy," you gave him a cocky grin.  "He's an amazing cook!"

With you still hanging on his arm, Zoro had no choice but to use his free hand to pinch your cheek.

" _Ow ow ow!_ "

"What else?"

You tried to pull your face away, but ended up stretching your cheek when he didn't let go.

"He shhhmokes!"

His eyes rolled in a 'I can't believe this' manner as he released you.  "You have to do better then that."

A pout formed on your lips as you rubbed the red mark on your face and felt put out that Zoro wasn't going to let this go.  Even the sight of the bakery's entrance didn't please you; your cheek hurt, Zoro was being mean, and the whole shop looked up to it's knees with customers.  Great.

"Just because I don't know his deepest, darkest secret doesn't mean he's a bad guy."  Zoro looked dubious, but you pressed on.  "Not to mention, he saved me from Crocodile.  **Twice.** "

"..."

The wolf's gaze became unfocused as he opened the shop door, his mind working overtime to come up with a counter-argument while you led the way through the small crowd.  Once in line, you went back to hugging Zoro's arm (just to snuggle) while he stared at the display of baked goods.

"I'm not...  I'm not saying he's a bad person."  He ran a hand through his hair in frustration.  "I just don't trust him."

You gave his arm a squeeze to show you were listening.

"We don't know anything about him.  Who he is.  Where he's from.  Nothing."

Despite his scolding tone and stern glare, you could tell he was worried.  His frown was tighter then usual and there was a flicker of uncertainty in his eyes.  Zoro wasn't sure if you would take him seriously, because lord knows he couldn't control you.  Hell, he liked that about you!  You surprised him in so many ways that there was never a dull moment to be had!

But this was about your safety.

Zoro knew he wouldn't be there to save you all the time, nor anyone else and he wished you saw that.  He just wanted you to be careful.  

Even as you felt his uncertainty and worry over the bond, you couldn't help but...elated?  

Did that make you a horrible person...?

Yes (duh).

But damn it!  Why did he have to be so sweet!?  

It was hard to pay attention when all you wanted to do now was kiss his face until it was covered in lipstick~!

Now you couldn't stop the smile that took over.  You _especially_ couldn't help this burst of love you felt for him; it's warm tendrils much like the ribbons of the bond caressing your skin before shooting to Zoro and entwining him with the same flutter of emotions.

He blushed and exhaled loudly through his nose.  "This is serious!"

You laughed and rubbed your face into his arm, feeling his muscles slowly start to unwind.  "I know!  I know!!"

Zoro appeared a bit miff as he tore his gaze away, "Sometimes I worry you _**don't know.**_ "

Ouch.  Okay, very true.  You didn't know much about his world and it's crazy magic, wacky rules, and stuck up bounty hunters.  You don't know how to break a curse or defeat a witch, nor did you fully understand werewolves and the bond that came with them.  You were just some girl who adopted a giant dog at the pound.

What the hell _did_ you know?!  

Despite your raging doubts, you reached up to brush gentle fingers over Zoro's cheek.  He didn't turn his head to look at you, just merely glanced down out of the corner of his eye as you gave him a somber smile.

"I know you can trust me."  

"______..."  

You saw his grimace, his lone, ruby-red eye flickering as he fought an internal battle.  Holding onto him tighter, you cupped his face and heard the tinkle of his earrings shift against one another when he looked down at you.  

No one would blame him for acting unsure, why should he trust a man he's never met?  A man who could possibly be an enemy!  But...  There was just something in your gut that told you that Sanji was a good guy.

"You don't have to trust him - you don't even have to LIKE him."  Your eyes softened, "But I want you to believe in me when I say he's not our enemy."

"..."

" _Please_ Zoro..."

An eternity went by before the wolf sighed deeply and bowed his head in defeat.

"All right."

You slapped your hands on your cheeks and _squeed_ , which only made him backtrack while a few customers turned to look.

"This doesn't mean I agree-!"

But you were already pulling him into a public display of affection, indifferent to anyone who glanced your way as you gave Zoro a big smooch.  The dork became stiff and awkward like a mannequin, but secretly pleased at your attention.  It's not like he's been able to enjoy it these past few days.  

Once you were done, Zoro kept his face close to yours and closed his eyes.  He breathed in and out slowly, as if filing away the moment to replay later before going back to his usual, grumpy self.

"I still don't like him."

You laughed and moved up in line, "Who said comrades had to like each other?  I mean, look at Hitler and Stalin.  They hated each other, but formed an alliance!"   


Zoro snorted.

"Okay.  Horrible example," you shrugged.  "But they put aside their differences-"

"And Hitler betrayed Russia in the end."

It was exciting that you had someone to talk history with (especially when they lived through it), but you were trying to make a point.

"Well, Stalin saw it coming.  So it wasn't really a surprise."

He gave you a savage grin.  "So, I should expect an attack then?"

"What?  No!"

The wolf let out a low, insidious chuckle that made you _reeeeeaaaallllly_ nervous.  "I'll have my 'I told you so' ready when this Sanji finally betrays us."

"That not what I meant!"  You stomped your foot like a child while Zoro had fun at your expense.  "Quit twisting my words around!"

But he ignored you as he went up to the counter to place an order with you huffed and puffed beside him indignantly.  After your bag of donuts and hot drinks were handed over you both left the warm, welcoming bakery to tackle the freezing winds that were already numbing your lips (despite taking a few sips of hot chocolate).

As you were contemplating how to murder the weather, Zoro took your hand and entangled it with his.  It was warm and overwhelming compared your much smaller one and it made your heart sing with each little squeeze he gave.  The action made you forget the blistering cold and you took the chance to snuggle up to your boyfriend as you crossed the street.

 _Sigh._

It's the little things in life~.

Zoro stalled when you both reached the parking lot and pointed to a car - no - a limo that was parked by the stairs.

"Is that normal?"

You frowned, baffled as to why a fancy limo would be at your apartment complex.  "I guess it's prom season..."

The vehicle was long and sleek, it's white paint shining like a ghost caught in a flashlight while the rims looked polished to perfection.  With spotless, tinted windows and a fancy hood ornament made of gold, you were shocked that no one had come out to stare and gossip.  Just looking at the thing made the whole parking lot, hell, the whole area look like the city slums.  

You mentally thanked your stars your mother wasn't here to see this.  Something like this would make her go crazy with worry.

 _"It has to be drugs.  There is no other reason for such a limo to be in this neighborhood.  You need to move right now!"_

You clicked your tongue in irritation.  

Even when she wasn't here she somehow managed to give you a headache.

You were suddenly brought back to reality when the limo's back door opened with a loud _clunk_ and a pair of fancy dress shoes stepped out.  Though the loafers looked wildly expensive, your eyes were more drawn towards the series of large rings decorating the mysterious man's hand.  They caught the light from the sun as his fingers gripped the top of the car door, bright reds, blues, and greens shining in rainbows before momentarily blinding you.  You raised a hand to shield your eyes, but still struggled to get a glimpse of the stranger's face as an ominous cloud of smoke was quick to follow after him.

Like a monster rising from it's hollow, a tall and broad shouldered man emerged from the thick smog.  His head towered above the smoke that curled around his face in a caress, concealing everything but the hand that reached up to slick back his already smooth hair.  Lazy, calculating eyes stared at you both as the smoke cleared to make way for an amused smirk and a long, thin scar that ran from one side of his face to the other.  It wasn't until you heard a rumbling chuckle that your stomach started to churn and twist like a fork in a plate of spaghetti.

"Cr-Crocodile!"  

Your body broke out in a cold sweat and you had to take a step back to ease the anxiety swelling up and threatening to spill out like vomit.  The spyglass suddenly felt heavy under your top and you found yourself grasping for it, frantic that his familiar would appear.

The last thing you wanted was to be snapped in two.

The magical item became useless though as Zoro stepped in front of you, his body acting as a shield while he let out a low hum of a growl that could rival a grizzly.  You felt safe for a split second until you realized the significant difference in size between both men.  Crocodile looked ten times bigger than Zoro, his height dominating your boyfriend's and making him look as if he just stepped out of high school.  

Your fear only amplified when you thought of all the horrible things Crocodile and his sand demon could do to Zoro.  There was no water around to stop that thing and you couldn't stand the thought of the wolf being maimed!

Zoro looked over his shoulder at you and snorted, his nostrils flaring as he poked you hard over the bond.  You poked back anxiously until you felt a wave of calm confidence soak into your entire body.  

You shook your head wildly as if coming out of a haze and resisted the urge to slap yourself.

Get it together, ________!  Zoro was too strong, too amazing to be taken down by some witch!

Now take a deep breath and relax.  

Everything's going to be okay.

Despite being growled at by a werewolf, Crocodile didn't seem the least bit intimidated.  He merely dragged his gaze over your boyfriend with the same obnoxious curiosity a man would over a collector's piece.  Zoro was someone he'd been demanding to meet for a long time and now he was finally here; ready to be poked, prodded, and tormented until Crocodile grew bored and left.

And boy did Crocodile like what he saw, because his smirk only seemed to widen while he pulled out a small, tin case full of cigars.

"Roronoa Zoro," he placed the thick, brown stub between his teeth and lit a match.  

Holding up the tiny flame to the cigar, he inhaled deeply until the tip flickered then glowed red.  As the end started to burn, Crocodile rolled his shoulders in slow motions, shifting them beneath his lavish suit until there was a soft _crack_.  Strangely, he even went on to adjust the cuffs of his sleeves like a man readying for a big presentation.  It was when he took an arrogant step forward that you started to question his sanity.  

What kind of crazy person would come withing arms length of a man who could knock his head clean off!?

"It's a pleasure to finally meet you."

Zoro frowned - he really didn't want to deal with this shit today.  

"Do I know you?"

" _Kuahahahaha._ "

You flinched, finding the man's chuckle absolutely nauseating.

"No.  We've never personally met.  But I've heard much about you."

The wolf crossed his arms then let out a long, exasperated sigh while your grip on his sleeve got tighter.

"H-How do you know where we live!?"  

Wait, was that you?  Geez, either you were super brave or super stupid.

Unfortunately, your boldness went unnoticed as Crocodile continued to talk to Zoro.

"When I first heard someone had managed to destroy a whole shipment at my Florida port, I thought it was a strategic attack by a rival.  Imagine my surprise when I was told it was a rabid _**wolf**_."

You twitched and raised your voice, "Hey!  I asked you a question!!"

It was in that moment you felt like a measly ant crashing Crocodile's picnic.  The look he gave you made you freeze and you were suddenly short of breath, not because he had done something, but because the light the in his eyes made you feel like you were about to be crushed.

"It must be embarrassing to have such a **worthless** alpha."  His eyes glittered with loathing before looking at Zoro, "You have my condolences."

Fear quickly replaced rage and you sprung from behind the wolf to angrily shake your hot chocolate at him.

"Excuse me!?!"

Crocodile looked around the complex in disgust,  "And I never imagined you would settle in such a **distasteful** neighborhood..."

Oh!  So that's his game!!?  Not only was he ignoring you, but now he was insulting your home!!  No one but your mother was allowed to do that!!

"Listen here asshole-!!"

You lurched when Zoro snatched the back of your collar and pulled you behind him.  

"Get to the point."

The bastard laughed, thoroughly enjoying the interaction as he tapped his cigar ash near Zoro's feet.  Your boyfriend didn't move a muscle, every inch of his face blank as he glared right into the larger man's eyes.

Crocodile's smirk grew wider as he placed the cigar back between his teeth.  "I've come to recruit you."

...What?!

"You're strong, capable, and resourceful - traits not many possess in this day and age."

Zoro remained silent, but that didn't bother Crocodile; he seemed to enjoy the sound of his own voice.  The larger male exhaled another cloud of smoke, then gestured to himself as if god's gift to mankind.  

"I thought it best to come ask again in person."

 _Again?_

"Again?"  Zoro's poker face was replaced with confusion.

You were totally baffled too - Zoro had obviously never met Crocodile before, so what was this "again" shit?

Crocodile frowned, "I sent a messenger, but he never returned."

A flash of contemplation crossed the wolf's features, his finger now tapping on his chin while he tried to remember just when he ran into a recruiter.  Then, like a switch, his face lit up.

"You mean the guy who couldn't swim?"  

Silence.  

Zoro received a harsh gaze from Crocodile who pressed his lips into a thin line, clearly annoyed at his response to something so important.  But this wasn't his game anymore, now Zoro was in control of the conversation and he was loving it.

A sharp, toothy grin formed on his face, "I remember now.  I told him I wouldn't join any group unless I was made the leader.  He said no, so I threw him into the ocean."

You guffawed, then covered your mouth to hold in more laughter.  

"I see..."  The smug asshole took another long hit from his cigar and blew out slowly.  

"I can make you an Officer Agent?  Perhaps give you a more-"  he glanced at you,  "-capable partner."

Grin now gone, you felt your face go red with fury.

He just couldn't stop with the snide comments, could he!?!

Just as your cup of hot chocolate was about to give under your intense grip, Zoro plopped his hand on your head and gave it a gentle pat.  You looked up at him with a frown, but he was too busy glaring at Crocodile.

"Not interested."

The witch scowled, "This is the last time I extend my hand to you, wolf.  There's much more to this situation then you realize."

"Don't care," Zoro yawned; now bored with the whole conversation.

A vein seemed to pulse very subtly on Crocodile's forehead while he bit down hard on his cigar.

"You cannot live peacefully in this country, Roronoa Zoro.  There are territories and rules.  Join me and I'll provide you with a future here."

" **No.** " 

Now Zoro was the one losing his patience.  Squaring his shoulders, he made sure to look right into the other man's eyes so to make himself perfectly clear.

"I don't care about your rules and territories.  I do things my way and if you don't like it then _fuck off._ "

"Yeah!  You tell him Zor-OH!"  

The wolf had grabbed your arm mid-cheer to drag you towards the stairs, more then ready to ditch Crocodile in favor of a nice day on the couch and away from everyone but you.  It was kind of funny, especially since you could practically feel the fumes of Crocodile's temper flare like an out of control house fire.  He didn't enjoy being walked away from, he didn't like how the conversation had went, and he hated that Zoro was _**ignoring**_ him.  

Mmmm, you couldn't help but bask in his bitterness~.

"I'm not here to play games, Roronoa Zoro."

Zoro stopped, his hand still on your arm as he herded you onto the first step.  "Neither am I."

Before the wolf could urge you more up the stairs, you caught a glimpse of Crocodile's face and noted there were a lot more angry veins then normal.  His eyes were like black pinpricks and you were sure there was a bit of a purple flush across his face.  It was the first time in your life you'd seen someone so _furious._

"You won't last long in this city, wolf.  You or your little alpha."

The comment made Zoro turn instantly, fists clenched tight as his side while his face contorted in blind fury.  

"Is that a threat?!"

You faltered as an unimaginable pain rippled through your body like a knife plunging into your chest.  It made your world turn upside down as you tried to pinpoint where this hatred came from until it ripped through you again at Crocodile's chuckle.

"It's better to work under me, wolf.  I can pull out your full potential - show you the true face of the New World."

The pang deepened to the point where you thought someone was tearing apart at your body without a hint of mercy.  You found your eyes go blurry and your legs weak while your free hand gripped for the stair railing for support.  It wasn't until that you felt hot liquid spill onto your fingers did you remember you still held your hot chocolate and it was the only thing distracting you from the raw emotions ripping you apart.  Though the drink kept you focused on your surroundings, it wasn't enough to help you reach out and stop the werewolf as he stomped menacingly towards Crocodile.

"Kuahahahahaha, you seem quite sensitive about this."

You stumbled off the stairs and felt your head go dizzy for a split second.  Once you righted yourself, you tried to shuffle after Zoro before he did something that would land him in prison.

Like rip Crocodile's throat out.

"How long will you be able to last, wolf?  How long do you think _**she**_ will last?"

Zoro snarled and he stopped a mere foot from Crocodile, nails sharp and twitching as he looked ready to pounce.

"You never know what kind of accidents might happen if you continue to act stubborn."

You almost fell over when your head started to pound in a harsh, merciless rhythm.  It throbbed faster than your heartbeat and felt like your brain was growing bigger inside your skull until it was close to cracking open.

"If you think I'd let you lay a hand on _______..."

Crocodile chuckled, "Who said I would be the one hurting her?"

Your vision cleared enough where you felt in control again, only now your emotions were mixing together with confusion and frustration.

Is this what Zoro was feeling???  Why was it so intense!? 

"I can help you hone your abilities, wolf.  I have many subordinates who are familiar with your kind and can guide you on the right path."  Crocodile placed his cigar back in his between his teeth, "With our guidance, we can get the berserker under control."

Zoro growled and you could see his muscles ripple under his clothes.

"How long can you last before you kill her, Zoro?"  

You froze as a white, hot pain shot up into your chest, grabbed at your heart and squeezed.

"What do you think will happen when she makes you angry?  What will you do when you hurt her?"

Zoro snarled, "I would never...!!"

Crocodile leaned in close, staring right into Zoro's eyes without fear.  "We both know how little control you have.  Why are you so sure you can protect her from yourself?"

You were halfway there when you felt the small tickle of uncertainty underneath all the anger and madness; festering like an old wound until it slowly consumed the rage and turned it into panic and agony.  You were suddenly afraid of being alone.  The worry gnawed at your brain and filled it with poisonous anxieties and dangerous ideas until you couldn't think of anything but a world without a warm smile or a soft hand holding your own.  No bubbling laughter or gentle hugs.  No more silly conversations or passionate kisses to remind you that you were alive.

No loving eyes to stare into when the world felt too heavy for your shoulders...

It hurt!

God, it hurt _**so much!**_

Crocodile moved closer to the wolf, an air of unstoppable superiority that made you move again as he whispered more honeyed lies.

"Join me and I can keep her safe.  From monsters.  From the world.  From _you._ "

Zoro flinched but didn't pull away, his face now less angry and more uncertain as he listened.

You urged your legs to move faster.

"I'll ask _one more time,_ Roronoa Zoro."  Crocodile grinned, his eyes flashing in victory when the wolf looked at him with flickering doubt.  "Join Baroque Works where you'll become stronger-"

Now you were growling under your breath as you got closer and could see the greedy look in Crocodile's eyes.

"-More powerful beyond your wildest dreams!"

You raised your arm as you came within distance.

"Just say 'yes' and I'll give you everything you could ever-!"

You struck fast, hand jerking forward as you aimed your cup of hot chocolate directly onto Crocodile's ridiculously lavish suit.  The man staggered back in shock, but was too late to keep the liquid from splashing onto his clothes and staining them in sweet-scented chocolate.  The white undershirt turned into a muddy brown while the black buttons and crisp blazer grew dark and wrinkly from the hot, sugary drink.

Crocodile took another step back to inspect the damage with wide eyes, his hands shaking and hesitant to touch anything for fear of making it worse.  He had never expected such an attack, especially not from a _worthless_ alpha like you; but it was this line of thinking that made it easy to sneak up on him.  Crocodile had tried his damnedest to ignore and belittle you throughout the whole conversation, making it clear that he didn't see you as a threat.

But it had been this line of thinking that led to his downfall.

Yeah, you could have slapped him, but there was no amount of training that could make you strong enough to hurt that wall of smug muscle.  You were too small and too scrawny to even give him a scratch - which was why you decided to hit him where it really hurt.

"Y-You...!!"  Crocodile gaped at his clothes, the dark liquid soaking starting to drip down his pant leg and right into his shoe.  "YOU-!!"

After all, nothing said 'fuck you' like ruining an expensive outfit.

"Shut up!!!"  You shouted,  "Shut up and leave Zoro alone, you cold-blooded bastard!!"

The whole situation was ridiculous, but the astonished looks from both men only spurred you on.

"You're nothing but a miserable fart who gets off on tormenting people!"

Crocodile tore his eyes away from the stain long enough to glare down at you with murderous rage.

"You think you can come here and try to take Zoro away from me?!"

The veins in his temple bulged before spreading towards his eyes, alerting you that maybe it was best to retreat now that his face was turning purple.  Unfortunately you were already in too deep, especially with the rush of adrenaline pouring into your head and making you loopy.

"Well, I got news for you buddy!!"

You used an angry finger to poke him in the chest with each inflection.

"You're.Not.His.Type!!"

Crocodile snapped and raised a fist high above your head.  "You _little **bitch!!!**_ "

With a loud squeak, you quickly went into a tornado drill position to brace for impact, but was relieved when no pain came.  You looked up and was in awe to see that Zoro had saved you.  Before Crocodile could even come close to landing a blow, the wolf had launched forward and snatched hi hand mid-air and held onto it tight between eerily elongated fingers. 

Crocodile switched his glare from you to the wolf, but was soon crying out in pain when Zoro's knife-like claws dug into his skin and his iron-clad grip began to crack his knuckles.  You could hear the pressurized _pop pop pop_ from the sound of a bone breaking before the smaller male bared his razor-sharp teeth and pushed Crocodile hard into the white limo.  The vehicle creaked loudly as it rocked back and forth from the impact, but steadied quickly enough for Crocodile keep from falling to the ground.

He had stumbled, but kept his balance by bracing the side of the car without too much trouble.  The push had been relatively gentler then when Zoro had his hand, but the action had hurt his pride all the same.  With his suit stained in hot chocolate, his hair ruffled and out of place, cigar now lost, and his hand possibly broken - Crocodile looked more like a criminal then some wealthy businessman.

"You'll pay for this...!"

Zoro let out a warning growl and you flipped him off.

"Sir Crocodile!"  The driver's side door suddenly burst open and the same dark skinned man from Baratie appeared.

"Sir Crocodile!  Are you-?!"

"I'm fine."  The man hissed as he stood straight and tried to salvage what was left of his suit.  "We were just leaving."

"Good," you hissed back, causing Crocodile to glare at you with all the hate he could muster.

"This isn't over, little girl."

You bared your teeth like Zoro and sneered.

"Bite me!"

Crocodile looked ready to smack you again, but took one look at Zoro before getting back in the limo.  He slammed the car door behind him while the other man glared at you both from the driver's side; his gaze sharp and calculating before he slipped back into the driver's seat.

You managed to keep your toes from turning into pancakes by jumping back as the engine roared to life and the limo surged forward.  The automobile was quick to leave as it maneuvered through the tiny parking lot with ease, though not without cutting off another driver as they pulled onto the street.  You felt no sorrow in seeing the white limo disappear, but that didn't keep you from being upset in a different way.

"The nerve of that asshole!!"  You were so angry that you couldn't see straight.  "How dare he come and taunt us like that!!"

Zoro said nothing as you began to pace.

"That stuck up bastard!!"  You clenched your hands and resisted the urge to swing them around.  "I should have punched his lights out!!"

"______..."

You crossed your arms as the adrenaline rush began to wear off and you quickly remembered that it was still _fucking_ freezing outside.

"I-I'll show him capable!!"  You rubbed your arms furiously and paced faster.  "Next time I s-see him, he's d-d-dead!!"

"_______."

Tears of frustration prickled at the corner of your eyes,  "He has no right to talk to you like that!!"

"_______..!"

"And I won't let him take you away from me!!"  You dug your nails deep into your skin in hope of keeping all your emotions at bay.  "You're mine, damn it!!"

A pair of hands roughly turned you around and you looked up to see your very irate looking boyfriend.

"Zoro!?"

But it wasn't anger that spurred the wolf to pull you against him.  Nor was it rage that had his hands gripped tight on your waist with fingers threatening to rip away at the fabric.  You felt no fury or displeasure from his end of the bond, neither did you think the creeping heat that was rising up your cheeks was anything bad.

It wasn't until he placed a hand on the back of your neck that your recognized the exact emotion he was feeling.

"Z-Zoro-"

You were interrupted by a pair of heated lips pressed feverishly against your own, conquering and demanding while fingers slowly tangled their way into your hair.  You felt him pinch and pull while keeping you flushed against his body before he finally pulled away to whisper huskily in your ear.

"I _**want**_ you."

That was when you realized that Zoro didn't intend to leave anytime soon.

 

 

 

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The perfume IS important. Just not yet *hurr hurr*
> 
> And now we're getting to the REAL meat of the story. The final straw that'll lead to our finale :D Though, I'm sure it'll take a good handful more chapters to get there.
> 
> Omg, 28 chapters so far though...I don't even know how I got this far @_@
> 
> This killed me - there was so much I had to be careful not to reveal ><
> 
> P.S. Crocodile is *not* gay. That's just the reader throwing sass.
> 
> P.P.S. I'm not sure how to feel about the last few sentences, but whatever. I'm tired.


	30. Part 2 of 2

** ¡Alerta de limón!   ¡Alerta de limón! **

  


You were in heaven~. 

Where fierce caresses made your heart leap out of your chest.  Where fingers dragged slowly - _longingly_ \- along your jawline and left scorching trails of desire.  Kisses conquered lips.  Your knees grew weak.  You had no time to think.  No time to breathe.  You could only squirm as Zoro ran the palms of his hands up your legs and onward to your hips; arch when he explored the inner workings of your thighs, and moan when his fingers rubbed in the sweetest of spots.

It made opening the front door a _bitch._

"Z-Zoro!"

The wolf growled, pleased to hear his name leave your lips - but you weren't doing it because you were horny (you most certainly were).

You were just having a hard time...concentrating.

"Zoro,"  You tried to fumble around for your purse. "I need my _keys._ "

A gust of wind plowed it's way through the upper balcony of the complex, ruffling your skirt and biting at your skin until your legs were numb with cold.  It was a stark contrast to your boyfriend's burning touch; his digits creeping, groping, and rubbing until your skin flushed red and your mind dazed from passion.  You made the mistake of letting out a pathetic whimper, which only made Zoro press himself closer.

Sharp teeth scraped along your ear before you heard him whisper, "I need _you_."

Oh god. 

How could anyone find their house keys when this wicked, sexy man spent all his energy on making you melt?!!  You couldn't even look away without the ground spinning out of control!  

Not with his hands planted so firmly on your butt~.  


  


"J-Just let me get my purse-"

He captured your waist, pushing you up against the door hard enough that it caused the number plate to bounce on the wood with a soft _clink._   Zoro then hooked your leg onto his hip - fingers digging into your thigh as he stroked up and down in a slow, wayward motion.  You felt his breath hot against your neck, bearing down on you with a force that sent shudders throughout your body while his fangs nipped at your collarbone.  Your hands flew to his shoulders and you nearly surrendered to dizzying pleasure.

Powerful muscles flexed beneath your fingers.  Hungry kisses ran down your neck.  Your inner core bubbled like molten lava and you felt yourself melting along with it.

Damn it, why did he feel so good!?

  
Then there was another not-so-gentle breeze, reminding you that was the worst possible place to become _intimate_.

"We...!"  Your eyes fluttered when his kisses trailed to your chin.  "W-We can't do this outside!!"

Growling, Zoro challenged this statement by pushing up the skirt of your dress - the fabric bunching up while the swell in his pants pressed greedily into your sex.  Blue jeans chaffed at your skin and the resulting friction sent bolt after bolt of electricity throughout your body.

You groaned, both in desire and annoyance.

Zoro was making this much harder then it should be.  All you wanted was to get inside; but his wide, sturdy hips practically begged for both your legs to wrap around them.  And those **_hands!_**   Those deliciously sinful hands that toyed with the fabric of your panties, but never ventured further then where you really WANTED him to.

"Z-Zoro,"  you whimpered as your resolve started to break.  "Please...!"

He groaned, the deep rumble of his form vibrating against you and making it feel like you had a horde of butterflies fluttering in your gut.  You snaked your arms around his upper body, hands gripping the back of his jacket as you pushed your chest into his.  The smell of fresh coffee and cold rain penetrated your senses while Zoro's teeth traced your jawline in little nips.  You squirmed then felt his breath fan your ear as he let loose a strangled moan.

" **Again.** "

You looked at him in confusion until you saw the fierce light in his eye.  Ruby gaze hot, he leaned in and kissed you.  Zoro's lips were quick and rough, his tongue nudging your lips once, twice, three times before slipping into your mouth to challenge your own.  Slick appendages battled for control as a mash-up of gasps, fumbled touches, and suggestive hip grinding made you forget that you were still very much in public.

Zoro pulled a hair's breadth away, the absence of his lips leaving you cold and needy.

"Say it again," he growled, finger slipping past your panties to stroke your embarrassingly wet entrance.

You yelped in shock, making Zoro repeat the action; except much, much slower.

"Say my name _**again.**_ "

You shut your eyes tight, feeling his digit slide right in-

"Z-Zoro!!"

A pleased rumble met your ears and you were rewarded with another finger.  You braced the door behind you with both hands, heart hammering in your chest as you bucked against Zoro's hand.  Ripples of burning pleasure engulfed your body, making you wrap both legs around the male's waist while you whimpered out his name over and over.

It wasn't until you saw that stupid, sexy smirk on his face that you realized how much trouble you were in.

A calloused finger suddenly found it's way to your clit, pressing and kneading the bead until your vision went white.  That split second of disorientation gave Zoro time to attack your neck, his sharp teeth leaving enough hickeys that would make the most promiscuous of girls blush.

Damn it, you had to do something!

But what?!

"Ah!!"  You arched when Zoro's fingers massaged your inner walls, slick fluids coating his digits and making it easier for him to DRIVE YOU FUCKING CRAZY!

Everything about him was making you lose all sense of control.  His touch burned, his body made you hunger, his lips were paradise.  How were you supposed to fight something that felt so good?  So _**right?**_

...!  


  


Damn it!!   


  


You could smack yourself for being so stupid.

The bond!

It was the one thing that linked your feelings with Zoro.  Whether it was to torment you until your knees went weak, tease you as your heart fluttered, or just make your mind so fuzzy that you were practically drunk on love; the bond was Zoro's ultimate weapon.  Though, you were kind of surprised he hadn't used it yet...  


  


Not that he needed to, considering he was a zipper away from fucking your brains out.  


  


Which is why you had to focus.

Even though you could use the bond yourself, you were still pretty new to it.  Sometimes it was so easy that you would activate it on accident.  This usually resulted in embarrassing moments whenever you realized Zoro was tuning in (mainly because you were thinking about him).  Other times it was as hard as opening a new jar of pickles; messy and unpredictable.

You took a shaky breath and closed your eyes to focus deep within.  Despite the sloppy kisses along your neck and frisky fingers up your skirt, you managed to picture a thick, red ribbon.  You didn't have too much trouble (about as much as anyone would have while being 'attacked' by a werewolf).  With an imagination like yours, you could practically see the strip connecting your heart to Zoro's; all nice and neat, maybe a little glow-y?

At least it wasn't tangled-up this time.

Weird muscles you never knew you had were put to work as the bond slithered and tightened until it was taut between you both.  Your heart gave a slight flutter in your chest, but the feeling wasn't strong enough to stop Zoro from pushing his other hand up your blouse.  His digits explored the span of your back, eager to caress and pet until he found your bra strap and began to fumble with the hooks.  Elastic snapped sharply against your skin and he let out a growl in frustration.

While he was distracted, you kept your eyes closed; somehow knowing you wouldn't be able to see the bond wrap snug around Zoro's barrel chest if you didn't.  He shuddered in your ear as it wound around and around his torso before spiraling down his waist.  Shivers rocked your body when he groaned your name and claws dug into your skin as the ribbon hooked onto his hips like a nicely wrapped gift.  His grip loosened and fingers dragged along your skin in hot, trails of fire as he clumsily braced the door for support.

With Zoro's hands gone, you found yourself sliding down his body like it was a fireman's pole.

A very _sexy_ fireman's pole.

No, no.  Stop that.

You should be searching for your keys so you could have sex inside, not outside.

You stumbled to your feet and took a deep, calming breath.  With your concentration in question, you had to keep your eyes shut tight while you fumbled around for your purse.  This proved to be quite annoying considering how shaky your hands were.  And that stupid zipper!  It took forever to open it the damn thing and it only got worse from there.  It was like someone had injected you with a butt-load of adrenaline that you had trouble fumbling through all the useless stuff.

_Why do I have so much shit!?  AH!!_

"Zoro!"  You pulled the key out in triumph.  "I got it!"

You looked up at him with a wide grin, not noticing the way his body seemed to edge closer.

"______..."

He caught your gaze and your breath hitched as time came to a complete stop.  Zoro's good eye was sharp; bright like a white-hot inferno that destroyed everything in it's wake.  You could hear your heartbeat slow, finding it hard to breathe as you got lost in his-

Gah!  Your concentration!

You fluttered your eyes like mad, but your focus was already gone.  And so was the red string.

"H-hey now," you made a motion with your hand while the other flailed for the doorknob.  "Stay."

Zoro let out a low, throaty growl as he took a step forward.

"S-Stayyy."

You jerked when he let out a snarl and shot his hand to the doorknob, forcing the handle to turn sharply with a loud _CRACK_ and allowing you both inside.  The action startled you so much that you found yourself backpedaling, feet tripping over one another while vaguely aware of the front door slamming shut.  Then, a pair of hands grabbed hold of your hips ( **large** , _gentle_ , but firm) and pulled you chest to chest with your restless boyfriend.  


  


Goosebumps blossomed along your arms when his gaze caught yours.  "W-Wait a second, Zoro..."

The brief spark of lightning from his touch, his selfish desire to hold you close, all while your heart beat so fast that you were afraid you were going to throw up.    


  


He brushed your cheek, fingers trailing along your skin before threading through your hair,  "So noisy."

You felt the blood rush to your face and your jaw dropped.  "Hey-!!"

But Zoro was already devouring your mouth, hungry for attention and savoring every minute of it.  Stunned, you couldn't help but close your eyes when your bodies came together, and with it, an overpowering emotion that took an eternity to process.  Delicate caresses slowly spiraled from your chest; spanning, growing, and wrapping from your shoulders to your wrists.  You gasped into the long kiss and clung to the wolf as the sensation began to glide down your body like silk sheets.  This gave Zoro the opportunity to conquer your mouth, his tongue eagerly exploring while a hand held tight to your hair.

_Zoro.  Zoro.  Zoro!_

You fought for air between kisses, taking gasping breaths as your lips quivered and grew swollen.  But he wouldn't let go, demanding more and more whenever you came out of your daze.  It took every ounce of strength as all these stimulants rushed through your body, starting at your neck in affectionate strokes and becoming frisky when it reached your ass.

"W-What-?!"  

You shook your head in confusion then squeaked when the sensation decided to venture past your ~~awesome~~ butt-

"Z-Zoro!"  You fought weakly despite the fog over your mind.  "That's not fair!"

His earrings clinked together as he gave you that all too superior smirk.

"If you can use the bond, then so can I."

You huffed, too proud to admit that he was right.  But Zoro ended that tantrum right quick by sweeping his hand along your hairline; his fingers brushing along the nape of your neck, flipping your tresses as a shiver rocketed down your spine.  Listless, you found yourself leaning heavily on the male while his deep chuckle thrummed in your ear, making you angry and extremely turned on at the same time.

Damn it, you never stood a chance!!

"______."

You looked up and felt the arm around your waist tighten.  Zoro's expression was serious, **_focused_** when the hand in your hair moved to trace your cheek.  There was a soft buzz of energy from his touch; the palm of his hand warm and comforting on your face while his fingers, though rough, were like individual kisses.  Just feeling his thumb brush against your cheekbone left you enraptured, dazed, EXCITED - enough so that you found yourself exposing your throat to the wolf in submission.

Pleased, Zoro bent his head to kiss it.

You shuddered and gripped his sleeves while your heart sped fast like a hummingbird.

He let loose a groan and quickly picked you up; hands now holding your ass, your legs around his waist, and his mouth on yours.  You kissed and everything might as well have been invisible as he began to walk through the apartment.  His breathing was erratic.  Your hands ran through his hair.  No sight, sound, or smell could keep you from him while he carried you to your room where you'd both make sweet, sweet love-

"Ack!!"

Zoro had suddenly pinned you down to a hard, flat surface while his hands found their way up your skirt; completely unaware of your confusion as you fought to pull away.  But the man was relentless in your passionate kiss.  You wanted to savor it (if only for a little bit), but you also wanted to know why your bed suddenly felt like solid wood instead of plush pillows and comfy sheets.

It wasn't until you both had to break for air that you got a good look at your surroundings.  Tiled floor, plain wood cabinets, and a sink with dirty dishes.  This was the kitchen.

And you, poor thing, were on the kitchen table.

"Zoro..."  You didn't even try to hide your smile, "Did you get lost?"

The comment made him stiffen before he looked at you with a furrowed brow and light pink dusting his ears.  You could see the gears turning in his head as he tried to come up with an explanation, but all you got was a scowl and a huffy 'be quiet' that made you laugh.  The teasing didn't last long, not with Zoro's hands suddenly back up your dress and groping at your inner thighs until your giggles turned into moans.  

Waves of smug came from the wolf while he pushed your skirt up your waist and slid his knuckles over the wet part of your panties.  You arched your back and he gave you a toothy grin - teeth long and sharp like he'd just caught a snack.

The surprise of finding yourself in the kitchen quickly faded as you found yourself enjoying the moment.  

"Mmm.  What big teeth you have~."

He gave a short snort while you angled your body to look more appealing.

"You gonna eat me up?"

You saw his gaze sharpen and watched as he stood straight to tower over you, face in shadows as he blocked the ceiling light from above.  But it wasn't enough to keep you from seeing his eye glow a hungry, bright red.

"Do you want me to?"

_Hooo boy!_

It took a lot of self-control not to fan yourself right then and there; what with a hunky man standing between your legs and looming over you with that _**look**_.

You swallowed hard, "M-Maybe?"

Zoro's eyes narrowed as he reached out for the top button of your blouse, wiggling beneath the fabric and plucking the fastener off with a sharp claw.  

" _'Maybe'_ isn't an answer."

"Hey!"

But he was already tearing off the next button, then the next, and another!

"What are you doing!?"

He stopped halfway down your shirt before placing his hands flat on your bare torso, thumbs sneaking beneath the cups of your bra to brush along the bottom of your breasts.  Long fingers curled around your ribs with ease and you felt your body quake as he slowly pushed the fabric up.  You writhed as lingerie skimmed over pert nipples then gasped from the gentle caress of cold air when your breasts spilled out.  Rapt with pleasure, you went from clawing at the kitchen table to tugging at Zoro's clothes like a wild animal.  Wrenching, scratching, ripping; you did everything you could to feel his body beneath your hands, to taste and admire everything about him.

" _Zorooo!_ "

Did that sound whiny?  It sounded a little whiny.

But he only smirked, teeth poking out between his tilted lips when he leaned towards your breasts to blow warm air on them.  You let out a soft shudder then arched when his thumbs brushed over your breasts in teasing little circles.  The action sent an electric current of tingles throughout your body, making your toes curl tight and your body ache.  Your hands rushed to grip Zoro's hair when his tongue gave one of your nipples a tentative lick.

"Ah!!"  You let out a strangled gasp when he took the nub between his teeth.  "Z-Zoro!"

Desperate for more, you snaked a hand past his collar and down the expanse of his back.  His body was hot against your fingers as you groped and clawed, nails practically biting into his skin while his mouth worked wonders on your chest.  Zoro moaned your name and you suddenly found yourself seeing stars when his groin pressed against yours.

Not only could you feel your own pleasure rippling through your body like crashing waves, but Zoro's too.  Each splash of desire swirling in a whirlpool of emotions until you weren't sure who was feeling what anymore.  

Frantic, you cried out.

It didn't matter how embarrassingly loud you were, or that you were going to fuck on a table.  You wanted his kisses to litter every part of your body.  For his rough hands to glide along, pinch, rub, and hold tight as he filled you.  You wanted all of him, god damn it, and you wanted him **_now!_**

Head thrown back, you finally couldn't take anymore as you begged Zoro to take you.  You pleaded with delirious whimpers and lazy grinds.  Then you got creative by using the bond, tugging on it like a leash in a playful manner until he finally let loose a growl.  The wolf snatched the hand that was down the back of his shirt and pulled it out, grip firm around your wrist when he brought it to his lips.  Your breath hitched when he nuzzled his nose into your palm sweetly, lips brushing along the lines while he kept his gaze on yours.  Zoro then brought your hand against his cheek, holding it there as his free arm circled your waist.

You whispered his name while your fingers traced along the bottom of his scar.  He rumbled pleasantly and nuzzled it again when you moved towards his ear to play with the gold earrings.

Then you noticed the hand up your skirt.  Toying with the waistband of your panties; teasing and skimming beneath the lace before it slid through the leg opening to rest on your bare skin.  You shuddered and bit your lower lip when he let it drift leisurely down, down, _down_ to your inner thighs where he pushed aside the fabric that covered your wet entrance.

Zoro gave you a fierce look, "Hold on."

Your head snapped up then down when you felt something hot brush over your clit.  With your skirt bundled up and blocking your view, you could only lay in anticipation when you felt the head of Zoro's member start to push in.  You weren't sure when, but at some point during your dazed state, the male had unzipped his pants and invited the master of ceremonies to the party.

"When-?!"  You gasped when he pushed his cock in further, reminding you just how thick he still was.  

Your arms were quick to wrap around his neck while your inner walls grew tight as he continued to fill every inch.  He was slow and precise, his shaft melting your insides as he made it to the hilt - waited a few seconds - then suddenly pull out to thrust back in.  Your body jerked and you let out a mewl while your legs clung hard to his hips.  

With Zoro's breath heavy on your neck, he pulled out again; faster than before and with every bit of him scrapping along tense, sensitive nerves.  The action made you squirm and you kept alternating between gripping the kitchen table or burying your hands in his wild hair.  Kisses settled along your throat in delicate patterns before turning into harsh, passionate bites that sent you soaring.

You moaned and he bucked his hips forward again, and again, and again.  

Sweat shone on your skin.  Flesh slapped against flesh.  Each individual push added a star to your vision while every kiss made it into a supernova.  

It wasn't until you found yourself focusing on Zoro's low(sexy) grunts that you realized the table was moving.  Wooden legs _screeched_ across the floor with every charging thrust until it finally ran out of the room and began to bump into the cabinets.  Drawers rattled and the table shook, but Zoro showed no signs of letting up.

Which was good, because you would have killed him if he did.

"Z-Zoro!!"

You writhed beneath him in pure bliss then arched, breasts pressing against the male's body while he held you up from your back.  Already the slightly new angle sent shivers down your spine, especially when you made your hips twist and bounce on his hard member.  

"I-I-!"

_I'm so close!_

"Need-!!"  You held on fast when parts of your sight turned white.  "I need-!"

_Release!  Give me release!!_

Zoro's hand flew to the back of your head, fingers tangling in your hair as his pace grew merciless.  His heightened speed and boiling emotions that you shared was a sure sign he was there with you every step of the way.  

You both gasped, clawed, and kissed.  

Groped, bucked, and moaned.

Your walls tightened while his cock grew slick from pre-cum.  His thrusts reached deeper and deeper until you finally threw back your head and cried out his name.

White clouded your vision as an intense pleasure surged within you; bubbling up and up and up until it spilled over and made you limp in his arms.  The sight was enough to send Zoro reeling and he soon followed, not even bothering to pull out as he spilled everything inside you.

You were gonna have to talk about that...

But not right now, not with him holding himself over you while you laid exhausted.

Your eyes met and you shared a passing smile before he leaned down to kiss you sweetly.

"_______."

You shuddered as he said your name and kissed him again; this time making sure it was long and romantic.

You both pulled apart and grinned - feeling absolutely serene, "Zoro~."

And then the kitchen table broke.

 


End file.
